By Xu Aiying 
Video = Kim Sunjoo and Lee Jun Young 

The Office of the President in Seoul on Aug. 18 said ahead of the summit at Camp David in Maryland among Korea, the U.S. and Japan, "The history of security and economic cooperation among the three countries will be divided into before and after Aug. 18, 2023." 

In Seoul's Yongsan-gu District, the office on Aug. 17 hosted a briefing on the summit's significance and expected outcomes prior to President Yoon Suk Yeol's departure for Washington.

"President Yoon's actions are all connected like his recent luncheon with independence fighters and their bereaved families for Liberation Day, meeting with key United Nations officials, celebratory speech for Liberation Day and this summit with the U.S. and Japan," Senior Secretary to the President for Public Relations Kim Eun-hye said. "The trilateral summit at Camp David will be the culmination of this journey."

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Aug. 17 bids farewell before boarding the presidential plane Code One at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do Province, bound for Washington to attend a trilateral summit with the U.S. and Japan. (Jeon Han)

On this day, Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Kim Tae-hyo, told a briefing that the summit will adopt two statements: the Camp David Principles with guidelines for trilateral cooperation and the Camp David Spirit, the outline of the collaboration's implementation.

"The Camp David Principles is a document that denotes the main principles of trilateral cooperation in major categories," Deputy Director Kim said. "The leaders of the three countries of the US, Korea and Japan will declare the principle of strengthening cooperation for peace and prosperity worldwide including on the Korean Peninsula and in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and Indo-Pacific region including Pacific islands based on common values and norms."

"The Spirit of Camp David is a joint statement to contain the shared vision and key outcomes of the leaders of Korea, the U.S., and Japan," he added. "The leaders of the three countries will agree on the inevitability of trilateral cooperation amid complex crises like intensifying geopolitical competition, the war in Ukraine, climate crisis and nuclear proliferation to declare a new era of the trilateral partnership."

"While the trilateral dialogue has gone on for nearly 30 years, the foundation for its continuation has been weak and cooperation agenda limited due to changes in domestic political situations, foreign policy and the paths of the three countries," he added. 

"Starting from the Camp David talks, cooperation among Korea, the U.S. and Japan will evolve from regional cooperation on the Korean Peninsula focused on the North Korean threat to pan-regional collaboration that contributes to building freedom, peace and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific region."

xuaiy@korea.kr