Dr. Jung Pak, Senior Official for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), held a meeting with his counterparts from Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) on May 9 in Tokyo. The meeting was attended by Namazu Hiroyuki, Director General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Lee Jun-il, Director General for North Korean Nuclear Affairs at the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The tripartite meeting highlighted their continued determination in confronting the severe security threats posed by DPRK's provocations, illicit weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missile programs, and its growing military cooperation with Russia. They emphasized the significance of maintaining close trilateral cooperation to address these threats, promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, and reinitiate dialogue and diplomacy with DPRK.
Furthermore, they stressed the importance of cooperation in addressing numerous human rights and humanitarian challenges created by DPRK. These include protections for North Korean asylum seekers and the urgent need to resolve issues related to abductions, detainees, and unrepatriated prisoners of war.
