U.S Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with defense ministers from Japan and South Korea to address escalating nuclear and missile risks from North Korea in a tripartite summit in Singapore earlier this month.
Austin, Japanese Minister of Defense Hamada Yasukazu, and Republic of Korea (ROK) Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-Sup addressed increasing missile and nuclear threats from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), strategized on strengthening collaborative security drills and discussed mutual security issues in the Indo-Pacific zone, the Department of Defense reported June 3.
"The Secretary and the two Ministers pledged that the United States, Japan, and the ROK will cooperate closely toward their shared commitment to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs)," the joint press statement reports.
They expressed deep concern about North Korea’s weapons programs, which they view as a serious threat to global peace, according to the press release. The tripartite condemned North Korea’s recent claimed space launch using ballistic missile technology, deeming it a clear violation of relevant UN resolutions.
The Secretary and Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to "respond firmly" to DPRK threats with increased cooperation between the three countries and in the international community, the statement reports, and urged all nations to fully implement any relevant UNSCRs.
"They underscored the importance of sustained international efforts to deter, disrupt, and ultimately eliminate the DPRK’s illicit ship-to-ship transfers," the statement reports. "They urged the DPRK to immediately cease its irresponsible actions that create tension on the Korean peninsula and in the region, and to abide by its obligations under all relevant UNSCRs."
Austin, Yasukazu and Jong-Sup acknowledged measures taken by the three nations to implement a mechanism to share missile-warning data in real time before the end of 2023, to improve their ability to detect and assess DPRK missile launches.
"The Secretary and the two Ministers discussed other regional security issues as well as DPRK threats," the statement reports, "and all reiterated the importance of deepening trilateral cooperation on key issues to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific, including information sharing, high-level policy consultations, and trilateral exercises. They further discussed steps to follow up on these issues."
Sec. Austin and the Ministers restated their intentions to conduct maritime-interdiction and anti-piracy exercises, and to identify additional areas where the three countries can expand their cooperation, such as through disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, according to the statement. Defensive exercises that strengthen the collective response to North Korea’s threats, like anti-submarine and missile defense drills, will also be regularly conducted, according to the statement.
The three leaders expressed interest in fostering stronger ties and communication between their nations, the statement reports, and said they were dedicated to cementing defense-related measures regionally, to better address DPRK threats and other regional security issues. They jointly opposed any attempts to forcefully change the status quo and escalate tensions in the region
The Secretary and Ministers restated their commitment to stand in solidarity with Ukraine against Russian aggression; emphasized the importance of stability in the Taiwan Strait; and expressed concerns about actions violating international law, particularly the international Law of the Sea.
At the end of the meeting, Austin reaffirmed the U.S.'s "steadfast alliance commitments" to Japan and South Korea, "backed by the full range of U.S. capabilities, including nuclear," the statement reports.
For their part, Japan and the ROK emphasized their bilateral ties and trilateral cooperation in advancing their shared security goals, according to the statement.
"The Secretary and the two Ministers committed to work closely together for peace and stability in the region and around the world," the statement reports..
“When our three countries work together to strengthen regional peace and stability, we are all safer,” Austin wrote in a tweet on June 4.
Austin assumed his duties as Secretary of Defense on Jan. 22, 2021, according to his biography on the Defense Department website. His career began with his graduation from the West Point Military Academy. He devoted 41 years to serving in the military, concluding his career as a four-star general in the Army. His last posting before retirement was a three-year tenure as the head of the U.S. Central Command.
