Kurt M. Campbell Deputy Secretary of State | Official Website
The Vice Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Korea and Japan, along with the Deputy Secretary of State of the United States, released a joint statement following their meeting in Seoul on October 16, 2024. This was the second meeting this year for Vice Minister Kim Hong Kyun from South Korea, Deputy Secretary Kurt M. Campbell from the United States, and Vice Minister Okano Masataka from Japan.
The leaders emphasized their commitment to uphold agreements made during the Trilateral Leaders’ Summit at Camp David. "The Republic of Korea, the United States, and Japan stand united in our shared values to address common regional and global challenges," they stated.
The ministers praised progress in trilateral partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region through initiatives like the trilateral Indo-Pacific Dialogue and military exercises such as Freedom Edge. They also noted a Memorandum of Cooperation on Trilateral Security Cooperation Framework aimed at enhancing regional peace.
Condemnation was directed at North Korea's ongoing nuclear activities and violations of UN Security Council resolutions. The leaders reiterated their aim for complete denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula while affirming defense commitments among their nations. Concerns were also raised about North Korea's cooperation with Russia involving arms transfers violating UN sanctions.
Further discussions included maintaining peace across Taiwan Strait and opposing unlawful maritime claims in South China Sea waters. They expressed support for international law as outlined by UNCLOS and highlighted concerns about illegal fishing activities.
Economic security was another focus area where they recognized initiatives like Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) for developing critical mineral supply chains. The importance of technology cooperation was stressed with plans to develop a trilateral framework advancing next-generation technologies.
In addition to economic ties, people-to-people connections were acknowledged through programs like Young Trilateral Leaders (YTL) fostering dialogue among young leaders from each country.
Looking ahead, they committed to finalize a trilateral coordinating mechanism before the next summit round, highlighting these meetings as vital channels for strengthening partnerships between South Korea, Japan, and the United States.