S. Korea, US, Japan leaders reaffirm commitment to trilateral security cooperation

Aug 19, 2024, 09:28 am

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President Yoon Suk-yeol, US President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrive for a joint press conference for the trilateral summit meeting at the U.S. presidential retreat Camp David in Maryland on Aug. 18, 2024./ Courtesy of Presidential Office

AsiaToday reporter Chun Hyun-bin

“We renew our commitment to enhancing security cooperation – girded by the ironclad ROK-US and US-Japan alliances – deepening the alignment of our shared economic and technological priorities, increasing coordination on global health initiatives, and further expanding the robust people-to-people ties between our three countries,” the leaders of South Korea, the United States and Japan said in a joint statement on Sunday.

President Yoon Suk-yeol, US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida celebrated progress in their three-way cooperation since the first historic summit at Camp David. “Over the past year, we have demonstrated our unwavering commitment to these shared objectives through close consultation and coordination on priorities in the Indo-Pacific and beyond,” they said.

“We, the leaders of Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), and the United States (U.S.), commemorate the tremendous progress in our trilateral cooperation in the year since our historic summit,” the leaders said. “The spirit of the Trilateral Leaders’ Summit continues to inspire us, and the principles we established at Camp David serve as a roadmap for our unparalleled cooperation. We are working together to achieve our shared goals of advancing security and prosperity for the region and the world. We stand by our commitment to consult on regional challenges, provocations, and threats affecting our collective interests and security.”

The leaders highlighted the achievements of the Camp David Declaration, including the inaugural execution of the trilateral multi-domain exercise Freedom Edge, the signing of a new Trilateral Security Cooperation Framework, and efforts to block North Korea’s attempts to generate revenue for its weapons of mass destruction programs through illegal means such as cybercrime. They celebrated the progress made by the trilateral working groups.

“We are resolved to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, remain aligned in our shared vision, and stand ready to meet the world’s greatest challenges,” the leaders said. “We hold an unshakeable belief that cooperation between Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States is indispensable for meeting today’s challenges and will set the stage for a prosperous future,” they added.

South Korea’s presidential office said that the three leaders commemorated the progress made in trilateral cooperation over the past year and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in various fields, including security, economy, technology, and human ties. “The three leaders agreed that ROK-US-Japan cooperation is essential for addressing today’s challenges and laying the foundation for a prosperous future,” the office said.

“Through the joint statement, we once again confirmed the historical significance of the Camp David Summit and the firm commitment of the three countries to trilateral cooperation. The government will continue to faithfully implement the follow-up measures of the Camp David Summit and strengthen trilateral cooperation,” the office said.

#Camp David #Yoon Suk-yeol #Joe Biden #Fumio Kishida #trilateral cooperation