Cooperation Between The United States, South Korea And Japan Regarding Security Is Guaranteed To Continue

JAKARTA - Trilateral security cooperation involving leaders from South Korea, the United States, and Japan received a positive response from the three countries. From a meeting at Camp David a year ago, representatives of each country promised to strengthen the mutualism relationship.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, US President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida issued a joint statement celebrating progress in their three-way partnership since the first summit at Camp David, the US presidential resting place, a year ago.

"We are working together to achieve a common goal in advancing security and prosperity for the region and the world," the statement said.

We hold fast to our commitment to consult on regional challenges, provocations, and threats that affect our interests and collective security.

Leaders highlighted important achievements in the security sector, including the launch of a multi-domain Freedom Edge trilateral exercise in June and the signing of a new Trilateral Security Cooperation Framework last month.

Leaders also recognize the trilateral work group's efforts to disrupt North Korea's funding for weapons of mass destruction programs through cybercrime and other illegal ways.

"We are determined to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, stay in line with our common vision, and be ready to face the biggest challenges in the world," the statement said.

We have unshakable belief that cooperation between Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States is critical to facing current challenges and will be the basis for a prosperous future.

Seoul has stepped up security cooperation with Washington and Tokyo to strengthen deterrence against North Korea's increasingly advanced nuclear and missile programs, as well as growing military cooperation with Russia following the signing of a joint defense pact in June.

North Korea accuses the Biden administration of implementing a hostile policy towards Pyongyang.

On Tuesday, Pyongyang's state media warned that improving relations between South Korea and Japan with Washington would put their people at risk of becoming a "meriam" in the event of a nuclear strike.

This trilateral joint statement was delivered ahead of Ulchi Freedom Shield's annual exercise between South Korea and the US, which will begin on Monday.

North Korea has long denounced the joint exercises of the ally as training for an invasion of it and has a record of frequent weapons tests in response.