South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio along with his Japanese counterpart Iwaya Takeshi.
In a joint statement released later in the day, they reaffirmed their "resolute commitment" to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and agreed to continue efforts to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue.
To achieve that commitment, Rubio emphasized that trilateral cooperation is "critical" for peace and security across the broader Asia region, in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "Our trilateral partnership is critical to promoting peace and stability in the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions Indo-Pacific and to advancing economic and security cooperation," he wrote.
Washington also reaffirmed its "ironclad commitment to the defense of Japan and [South Korea], backed by America's unmatched military strength, including its nuclear capabilities," pledging extended deterrence for Seoul and Tokyo, which are "critically important to the security and stability of the Korean Peninsula and the broader Indo-Pacific region."
Their talks came after North Korea the previous day hinted at possible talks with the U.S. if Washington drops its denuclearization demands and accepts the North's nuclear weapons program, emboldened by the reclusive country's deepening military ties with Russia in recent years, alongside its traditional ally, China.
With Washington reaffirming its commitment to North Korea's denuclearization, it remains to be seen whether talks between Pyongyang and Washington will take place.
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