S. Korea, US, Japan to hold vice-ministerial talks amid N. Korea tensions

Published : Oct 16, 2024 - 09:55 Updated : Oct 16, 2024 - 09:55

Smoke rises after North Korea blows up sections of inter-Korean roads on its side of the border between the two Koreas, according to South Korea's military, as seen from the South Korean side, Tuesday, in this screen grab from a handout video. (South Korean Defence Ministry)

Senior diplomats from South Korea, the United States, and Japan were set to meet in Seoul on Wednesday amid rising tensions following North Korea's destruction of roads to the South and accusations of drone flights by the South over its capital.

The three-way talks come a day after the North blew up cross-border roads in a move underscoring its commitment to completely sever ties with the South after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un vowed to abandon the goal of unification and treat the South as his regime's "primary foe."

The explosion added to the already heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula after the North accused the South of sending drones into the skies of Pyongyang and warned of a "horrible disaster" if such drones are sent again.

Wednesday's talks will take place among First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano. Ahead of the trilateral meeting, Kim will meet one-on-one with Campbell and plans to have bilateral talks with Okano on Thursday.

The recent development on the Korean Peninsula and a belligerent North Korea is expected to be a major agenda item at Wednesday's three-way talks.

They are expected to discuss ways to beef up coordination among the three and also with the international community in response to North Korea's provocations.

The three sides are also expected to discuss efforts to cement the trilateral partnership, especially with the recent leadership change in Japan with new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and with the US presidential election less than a month away.

Establishing a secretariat for the trilateral cooperation framework could also be discussed.

The leaders of the three countries declared a new chapter in their partnership at the trilateral Camp David summit in August last year. The summit produced a series of agreements, including the "Commitment to Consult" each other in the event of a shared threat.

Wednesday's three-way talks come about five months after they held their last meeting in Virginia in May. At that meeting, the three sides agreed to establish a "coordinating body" to "institutionalize" the trilateral cooperation. (Yonhap)