Seoul : South Korea, the US, and Japan will hold trilateral talks this week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the South Korean foreign ministry announced Monday.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will join US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya for the Monday afternoon talks (local time). The ministry did not provide further details.
The three diplomats will accompany their respective leaders—South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, US President Donald Trump, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba—during the UN General Assembly High-Level Week in New York.
They plan to use the talks to emphasize their shared commitment to the trilateral partnership. They will also coordinate on key issues of common interest, including North Korea’s nuclear program.
The talks follow North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signaling openness to engage with the Trump administration if Washington eases its denuclearization demands. He referenced his prior nuclear discussions with Trump, saying he has a “good memory” of the former US president.
Kim also reiterated that North Korea will not hold talks with South Korea or pursue unification, despite repeated offers from the Lee government.
In a recent interview with TIME magazine, Lee reaffirmed his three-step approach: arms freeze, reduction, and denuclearization in exchange for dialogue. He said the approach could “partially ease or lift sanctions” and that Trump would support it.
Beyond North Korea, the diplomats are expected to discuss maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. They may also address China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
The talks could cover practical cooperation in emerging technologies, such as critical minerals, supply chain stability, and artificial intelligence.
The last trilateral diplomatic meeting occurred in Malaysia during ASEAN-related meetings. South Korea sent a vice foreign minister in place of Cho, whose parliamentary appointment was still pending.
–IANS
