Joint Chiefs of Staff from South Korea, USA and Japan meet in Hawaii: The DONG-A ILBO

The joint chiefs of staff of South Korea, the US and Japan have expressed concern about the nuclear weapons and missile threats to North Korea and reaffirmed the importance of trilateral cooperation between the countries. The US and Japan stressed the importance of pledges to prevent the expansion of the north and sanctions against the Stalinist country to combat the nuclear threats of Pyongyang, while South Korea put emphasis on peace and stability in the Korean peninsula, prompting critics to proposing the three sides showed subtle differences in views.

The chairman of the South Korean chief of staff, General Won In-choul, met with his US counterpart Mark Milley and Japanese counterpart Koji Yamazaki in Hawaii on Friday. The military leaders of the three countries have met for the first time in 18 months since they gathered in Washington in October 2019 when MIlley was inaugurated. The three military leaders reportedly shared their concerns over the north’s nuclear and missile programs and discussed the importance of observing rules based on the international order in the region. “They assessed the threat posed by the improved North Korean version of the Iskander missile (KN-23) launched in Pyongyang in March and a new submarine launching a ballistic missile, as well as the situation with the construction of a new submarine. ” South Korean military source said.

General Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said the US is ready to mobilize all military capabilities to prevent proliferation, while reaffirming Washington’s strong commitment to defending South Korea and Japan, while Koji Yamazaki, chief of staff of the joint staff of The Japanese Self-Defense Forces emphasized the thorough implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions on sanctions against the north.

The US and Japan have reaffirmed their commitment to militarily and diplomatically counter the escalating nuclear threat posed by North Korea. General Won also stressed the importance of trilateral cooperation to ensure peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

Sang-Ho Yun [email protected]