Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun (from left), U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi on Sept. 21 take a group photo ahead of their trilateral talks in New York. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
By Kim Seon Ah
The top diplomats of Korea, the U.S. and Japan have agreed to maintain cooperation for peace and denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula while strengthening collaboration in economic security and advanced technologies.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul on Sept. 22 said Minister Cho Hyun in New York held a trilateral meeting the day before with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi. All three are attending the High-Level Week of the annual United Nations General Assembly.
The meeting was the third this year among the three, following those in July on the sidelines of the NATO Summit and ministerial meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The three sides agreed to work closely to safeguard peace and stability on the peninsula and advance denuclearization through dialogue and diplomacy, while maintaining a firm deterrence against threats from North Korea. They reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the North and urged it to return to dialogue.
They also pledged to keep coordinating on major global issues including those related to Northeast Asia and the Middle East, as well as expand cooperation in maritime security, efforts to combat transnational crime, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
In economic security, they will boost cooperation in key and emerging technologies like semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, digital infrastructure and biotechnology. They also agreed to jointly protect cutting-edge technologies and diversify and strengthen the resilience of supply chains.
The three ministers issued a joint statement on the results of their talks and agreed to maintain close communication and expand trilateral cooperation.
sofiakim218@korea.kr
