Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said Wednesday that he believes South Korea’s trilateral cooperation with the United States and Japan will remain steadfast regardless of the outcome of the upcoming U.S. presidential election, in the face of North Korea’s provocations.

Kim made the remarks during a forum hosted by the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. The event brought together officials and security experts from the three nations to commemorate the first anniversary of the historic trilateral summit.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met at the Camp David presidential retreat on Aug. 18, 2023, and agreed to deepen military and economic cooperation, taking a united stand against security threats posed by North Korea.

Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho speaks during an international forum in Seoul on Aug. 28, 2024, marking the first anniversary of the summit between Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea, Joe Biden of the
United States, and Fumio Kishida of Japan at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland. (Yonhap)

Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho speaks during an international forum in Seoul on Aug. 28, 2024, marking the first anniversary of the summit between Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea, Joe Biden of the United States, and Fumio Kishida of Japan at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland. (Yonhap)

“I believe that cooperation among the three nations in response to North Korea’s provocations and for the denuclearization of North Korea will remain unchanged, regardless of any political leadership changes,” Kim said in his opening remarks.

The comments come after both the Democratic and Republican parties in the U.S. omitted the long-elusive denuclearization goal from their platforms, raising questions about how the next administration might address North Korea’s nuclear threats and whether this signals a potential shift in policy focus.

“There has been much talk regarding the platforms of the current U.S. p
residential candidates,” Kim noted. “However, the complete denuclearization of North Korea is a solid agreement among the three countries.”

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg emphasized the importance of “institutionalizing” cooperation with South Korea and Japan.

“As such, we must carry this new era of trilateral partnership forward, institutionalize our cooperation, and seek every opportunity to advance our interests together at every level,” Goldberg said.

Source: Yonhap News Agency