Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Korea, the United States, and Japan hold foreign ministerial meetings to monitor the possibility of Russia providing military support to North Korea.

During the 2024 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meeting in Lima, Peru, on November 14 (local time), Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held separate bilateral meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi. The discussions focused on North Korea's involvement in the conflict in Ukraine and the implications for regional and global security.

In his meeting with Secretary Blinken, Minister Cho expressed deep concern over the "illegal military alliance" between Russia and North Korea, stating that it poses a significant threat to security in the Indo-Pacific region. Both officials agreed to monitor the situation closely, particularly the possibility of Russia providing military support to North Korea in exchange for its dispatch of troops to aid Russia in the Ukraine war. They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trilateral cooperation to counter these threats.

The officials also praised the progress made by Korea, the United States, and Japan in areas such as security, economic cooperation, and technology, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration ahead of the upcoming trilateral summit.

Secretary Blinken reiterated the strong bipartisan support for the ROK-U.S. alliance and assured that the achievements of the partnership would be effectively transitioned to the next U.S. administration. He pledged close cooperation with South Korea to maintain and build upon these advancements.

Minister Cho also met with Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi, marking the first Korea-Japan foreign ministerial meeting since the formation of Japan's new cabinet. The two ministers discussed critical issues in Korea-Japan relations, North Korea's nuclear program, and its recent dispatch of troops to support Russia. They agreed that this development represents a severe threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and globally. The ministers emphasized the need for close coordination among Korea, Japan, and the United States to address military ties between Russia and North Korea and to counter North Korea's nuclear ambitions effectively.

By Ah-Mi, Cho <joajoa@dema.mil.kr>

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