The United States, Japan and South Korea have promised “joint trilateral cooperation” for the deprivation of North Korea.
Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, held a rare personal meeting with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, Suh Hoon and Shigeru Kitamura, at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
They said in a joint statement that they “shared their concerns about North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs” and that they “agreed on the need for the full implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions by the international community”. “including North Korea, to prevent proliferation and to work together to strengthen deterrence and maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”
The security officials also addressed the key priorities for Biden and the fight against Covid-19 and climate change and ways to restore democracy in Myanmar.
The meeting comes as a review by the Biden government on North Korea’s handling of the final stage, following Donald Trump’s extraordinary personal diplomacy with strongman Kim Jong-un.
The former president held three meetings with Kim, whom Trump said he “fell in love with,” in a diplomatic overture that eased tensions but did not lead to a permanent agreement.
Biden sharply criticized Trump’s meetings, saying he was legally one of the world’s most ruthless leaders, but also said he was open to diplomacy.
Officials from the Biden administration are generally expected to support a resumption of talks at a lower level, rather than a high drama summit.
Biden also warned North Korea about consequences for violations of UN Security Council resolutions after Pyongyang recently tested what US officials see as ballistic missiles.
A US official said Sullivan also spoke to Japan and South Korea about the global shortage of semiconductors as supply chains were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The lack of semiconductors has forced some automakers to limit production and appears to be expanding into a wide range of electronic items.
The Annapolis talks are a rare personal diplomacy for Biden’s government amid the pandemic and Sullivan’s first tripartite inauguration since taking office.