WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 14 — On the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, top diplomats from South Korea, the United States, and Japan convened for a trilateral meeting. Foreign Minister Park Jin of South Korea, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa gathered to discuss cooperation on various regional and global challenges, including the North Korean threat. This meeting follows their brief discussion during the U.N. General Assembly in New York less than two months ago.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Their discussions came amid Washington's efforts to enhance cooperation with regional allies to address multiple security issues, including the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Blinken's agenda for the meeting included topics such as North Korea's military ties with Russia, support for Ukraine, and other significant global concerns. Park Jin highlighted the increased cooperation between the three nations, particularly since the trilateral summit at Camp David in August. The diplomats also focused on the military relations between North Korea and Russia, viewed as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Additionally, they deliberated on joint responses to North Korea's potential launch of a military reconnaissance satellite.
The meeting was also a platform for Blinken to discuss the upcoming summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, covering a range of issues including relations between the U.S. and China, the North Korean threat, the Taiwan issue, and global conflicts. The evolving relations between the U.S. and China are of particular interest to Seoul and Tokyo, given their impact on regional diplomacy, security, and trade. Blinken's recent visits to Tokyo and Seoul emphasized the U.S.'s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region despite other global conflicts.