South Korea, US, and Japan Joint Chiefs of Staff to Meet in Seoul Next Week to Discuss North Korea's Nuclear Threat

Discussions on Adjusting the Role of U.S. Forces Korea and Increasing Defense Spending Expected

The chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea, the United States, and Japan will meet in Seoul next week to discuss responses to North Korea's nuclear threat and other issues.

According to the military on July 3, Kim Myungsoo, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea, will attend the Tri-CHOD meeting of the chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea, the United States, and Japan, which will be held in Seoul on July 10-11. The meeting will also be attended by Dan Cain, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, and Yoshida Yoshihide, Chief of Staff, Joint Staff of Japan (equivalent to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff).

This visit by the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest-ranking active-duty officer in the U.S. military, is the first in one year and eight months since November 2023, and the first since the inauguration of the Lee Jaemyung administration. A military official stated, "Chairman Cain is visiting South Korea to attend the Tri-CHOD," and added, "The discussions will cover trilateral military cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan, as well as responses to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats."

With discussions on the 'strategic flexibility' of U.S. Forces Korea becoming more active under the second administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, and continued pressure to increase defense spending, attention is focused on whether related discussions will take place during Chairman Cain's visit to South Korea.

At a Senate confirmation hearing in April, Chairman Cain stated, "North Korea's long-range missile and nuclear programs are an immediate security challenge," and added, "If confirmed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, I will assess the size of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea and Japan and submit recommendations to the Secretary of Defense and the President."