Allies need combined efforts to tackle North Korean threats
Leaders of South Korea, the United States and Japan got together in Madrid, Spain, on Wednesday and agreed to make combined efforts to jointly tackle the growing threats posed by North Korea. They also concurred on the need to fortify three-way security, economic cooperation and U.S. extended deterrence for the allies.
President Yoon Suk-yeol held the trilateral summit with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the NATO Summit. The three-way summit was the first of its kind since September 2017 when then leaders Moon Jae-in, Donald Trump and Shinzo Abe met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The summit also paved the way for the three nations to recover their security cooperation, which has remained mired in recent years.
The three-way meeting holds significance given the escalating security tension surrounding the Korean Peninsula. For starters, North Korea appears to have completed preparations for its seventh nuclear test and the conflict between the U.S. and China will likely intensify, coupled with signs of a major shift in the world order prompted by the dragging war in Ukraine.
Biden emphasized the importance of three-way cooperation to achieve the common goals of the allies. He said he remained "deeply concerned" over North Korea's military actions including the possible nuclear test. "I look forward to additional dialogue in this format as we continue to strengthen our trilateral engagement," Bide said at the beginning of his talks with Yoon and Kishida.
Yoon also underlined the need to strengthen the trilateral engagement, expressing hope that the three nations will play a key role in securing world peace and global stability. Yoon asked Kishida to join hands to resolve the knotty issues between the two countries. Kishida also revealed expectations for healthier relations between Seoul and Tokyo.
This shows both leaders are eager to improve bilateral ties which have remained the worst in regard to history and territorial issues. Yet, for the two countries to make progress in their bilateral relations, they need to make mutual efforts and take realistic steps. For instance, the two nations should proactively seek ways to waive visas for people on each side. They also need to explore ways to set up a foundation with donations from both Korean and Japanese enterprises to compensate victims of Japan's wartime forced labor.
The White House praised the results of the trilateral summit. "This was a historic meeting in which the three nations discussed trilateral cooperation," it said in a statement, Wednesday. This attests to the significance of closer cooperation among the three allies especially amid looming multiple challenges facing South Korea, such as runaway inflation, global supply chain disruptions and constant threats from North Korea.
Leaders of South Korea, the United States and Japan got together in Madrid, Spain, on Wednesday and agreed to make combined efforts to jointly tackle the growing threats posed by North Korea. They also concurred on the need to fortify three-way security, economic cooperation and U.S. extended deterrence for the allies.
President Yoon Suk-yeol held the trilateral summit with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the NATO Summit. The three-way summit was the first of its kind since September 2017 when then leaders Moon Jae-in, Donald Trump and Shinzo Abe met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The summit also paved the way for the three nations to recover their security cooperation, which has remained mired in recent years.
The three-way meeting holds significance given the escalating security tension surrounding the Korean Peninsula. For starters, North Korea appears to have completed preparations for its seventh nuclear test and the conflict between the U.S. and China will likely intensify, coupled with signs of a major shift in the world order prompted by the dragging war in Ukraine.
Biden emphasized the importance of three-way cooperation to achieve the common goals of the allies. He said he remained "deeply concerned" over North Korea's military actions including the possible nuclear test. "I look forward to additional dialogue in this format as we continue to strengthen our trilateral engagement," Bide said at the beginning of his talks with Yoon and Kishida.
Yoon also underlined the need to strengthen the trilateral engagement, expressing hope that the three nations will play a key role in securing world peace and global stability. Yoon asked Kishida to join hands to resolve the knotty issues between the two countries. Kishida also revealed expectations for healthier relations between Seoul and Tokyo.
This shows both leaders are eager to improve bilateral ties which have remained the worst in regard to history and territorial issues. Yet, for the two countries to make progress in their bilateral relations, they need to make mutual efforts and take realistic steps. For instance, the two nations should proactively seek ways to waive visas for people on each side. They also need to explore ways to set up a foundation with donations from both Korean and Japanese enterprises to compensate victims of Japan's wartime forced labor.
The White House praised the results of the trilateral summit. "This was a historic meeting in which the three nations discussed trilateral cooperation," it said in a statement, Wednesday. This attests to the significance of closer cooperation among the three allies especially amid looming multiple challenges facing South Korea, such as runaway inflation, global supply chain disruptions and constant threats from North Korea.
