Top diplomats of S. Korea, US, Japan to meet in Turkey on sidelines of NATO summit

From left, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi pose during their three-way talks on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering in Gyeongju, Oct. 29, 2025. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan plan to meet in Turkey on Tuesday for talks on North Korea-related issues, regional and global affairs and ways to strengthen trilateral security and economic cooperation, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is scheduled to hold trilateral talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Ankara on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit later in the day, according to the ministry.

The NATO leaders' summit will be held Tuesday and Wednesday in Turkey, and Cho is accompanying President Lee Jae Myung, who will attend the gathering at the invitation of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The trilateral talks will be the first since the three top diplomats last met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the southeastern South Korean city of Gyeongju in October last year.

As Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to skip this year's NATO summit, a three-way summit among Lee, U.S. President Donald Trump and Takaichi is not expected to take place, making the ministerial meeting an opportunity to reaffirm the momentum of trilateral cooperation, officials said.

The ministers are expected to explore ways to further strengthen three-way cooperation amid mounting geopolitical challenges, including the Middle East crisis, Russia's war with Ukraine and disruptions of global supply chains.

The meeting also comes as North Korea, China and Russia have been deepening diplomatic, economic and security cooperation in recent years, raising concerns among Washington and its allies about a shifting security landscape in Northeast Asia and beyond.

South Korea is also expected to seek bilateral high-level talks with the U.S. and other partner nations on the sidelines of the NATO summit to discuss pending issues, including security consultations and other bilateral matters.