Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met with Republic of Korea First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong, during which time she reiterated the U.S. commitment to defending the Republic of Korea and Japan amid ballistic missile tests by North Korea.
AP News reported Sherman said the U.S. would defend allies through nuclear, conventional and missile defense capabilities.
“We will use the full range of U.S. defense capabilities to defend our allies, including nuclear, conventional and missile defense capabilities,” Sherman said in the AP News report.
Department Spokesperson Ned Price said Sherman reiterated the U.S. commitment during her meeting in Tokyo with Cho, according to an Oct. 25 news release. Sherman condemned North Korea's recent ballistic missile launches, calling the launches “reckless and destabilizing to regional and global security.” She traveled to Tokyo to meet with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori Takeo and Cho Hyun-dong.
North Korea launched 44 missiles this year, according to a senior State Department official in an Oct. 20 news release. Sherman last held trilateral meetings with Mori and Cho during her trip to Seoul June 7. They have been in frequent contact and last spoke Oct. 4, following a missile launch.
Sherman has said North Korea’s repeated ballistic missile and artillery firings were provocative military actions, AP News reported.
“This is deeply irresponsible, dangerous, and destabilizing,” Sherman said during the meeting, according to AP News.
Japanese Foreign Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada recently said North Korea may have achieved the miniaturization of nuclear warheads and significantly advanced its missile capabilities through diversification of launch technologies, AP News reported. Sherman said the U.S. would use a “full range" of defense capabilities “including nuclear, conventional and missile defense capabilities.”
