After President Trump started his second term, the foreign ministers of the United States, South Korea, and Japan held their first meeting to discuss topics including the economy and international affairs.
On February 15th, local time, South Korean Foreign Minister Jo Dae-ryeol, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya convened for the U.S.-South Korea-Japan trilateral foreign ministers meeting in Munich, Germany.
According to the South Korean Foreign Ministry, the foreign ministers of the three countries discussed deepening cooperation among the U.S., South Korea, and Japan, addressing issues related to North Korea and its nuclear problem, regional situations, and expanding economic cooperation schemes.
The three foreign ministers unanimously agreed that cooperation between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan is not only beneficial for the three nations individually but also contributes to the security, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region. They also agreed to further promote relevant cooperation in the future. In particular, they emphasized that U.S.-South Korea-Japan cooperation goes beyond diplomacy and security and will continue to deepen in economic security and cutting-edge technology sectors. Additionally, the three countries agreed to enhance cooperation through smooth operation of various-level meetings and secretariats to further institutionalize their collaboration.
In the joint statement issued by the U.S., South Korea, and Japan, support for “Taiwan’s participation in international organizations” was expressed, considered as a further escalation of pressure against the Chinese Communist Party.
In the joint statement, the three foreign ministers stated, “We support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in appropriate international organizations.” This inclusion in the U.S.-South Korea-Japan joint statement marks the first time such a statement has been made. This reflects a tougher stance on China policy in Trump’s second term. Previously, similar statements have been included in joint statements from U.S.-Japan summits, and this time, at South Korea’s request, the word “appropriate” was added to the statement.
Furthermore, the three countries emphasized, “Strongly oppose any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion in the Indo-Pacific region, including the South China Sea,” and reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
The three parties unanimously agreed that peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region are of utmost importance and decided to strengthen cooperation in promoting the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” strategy.
Moreover, the three foreign ministers expressed a firm stance on the North Korean issue, emphasizing a resolute response to North Korea’s violations of and evasion from sanctions. The three countries particularly expressed strong concerns about the increasingly deepening illegal military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, and unanimously agreed not to provide any form of compensation to North Korea.
The foreign ministers of the three countries believe that cooperation between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan is expanding in areas such as economic security, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, semiconductors, and have decided to maintain close communication at all levels to further expand relevant cooperation.
At the same time, while exploring expanding cooperation in the energy sector, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), the three countries will continue to promote mutual assistance in building a reliable and stable supply chain.
Regarding the first U.S.-South Korea-Japan foreign ministers meeting after the new U.S. administration took office, the South Korean Foreign Ministry evaluated it as confirming “the shared determination of the three nations to continue developing U.S.-South Korea-Japan cooperation, providing an important platform for future development directions.”