On Friday, October 25, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Republic of Korea National Security Advisor Shin Wonsik, and Japanese National Security Advisor Akiba Takeo met in Washington, D.C., for the second trilateral National Security Advisors meeting since their leaders met at Camp David in August 2023 and the fifth of the Biden Administration. The three National Security Advisors reaffirmed their commitment to address common regional and global challenges and promote security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
In particular, National Security Advisors Sullivan, Shin, and Akiba expressed grave concern over troop deployments by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Russia, potentially for use on the battlefield against Ukraine. This deployment is the latest in a series of concerning indicators of deepening military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia, including arms and ballistic missile transfers in direct violation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions. The National Security Advisors call on Russia and the DPRK to cease these actions that only serve to expand the security implications of Russia’s brutal and illegal war beyond Europe and into the Indo-Pacific. The National Security Advisors reiterated the firm commitment of the United States, the Republic of Korea, and Japan to help Ukraine defend itself, and they committed to coordinate support for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, recovery and reconstruction, and efforts to hold Russia accountable for its actions.
Furthermore, the National Security Advisors reviewed progress on a wide range of trilateral initiatives announced in the Spirit of Camp David statement. They welcomed several notable achievements over the past year, including the operationalization of a trilateral missile warning data sharing mechanism, the establishment of a cutting-edge trilateral quantum workforce training program, and the launch of the first multi-domain trilateral exercise—FREEDOM EDGE—and a multiyear exercise plan. They also highlighted numerous high-level trilateral dialogues this year, including the first trilateral commerce and industry ministerial meeting, the first trilateral defense ministers meeting in Tokyo, and two trilateral foreign minister and two vice foreign minister meetings.
The three National Security Advisors discussed next steps on trilateral cooperation, including efforts to strengthen technology cooperation and economic security such as critical minerals supply chains and promoting trusted telecommunications networks across the Indo-Pacific region, improve maritime security coordination, expand cyber security cooperation and advance closer trilateral ties between the U.S., Korean, and Japanese business communities.
The National Security Advisors condemned the DPRK’s illicit arms transfers, malicious cyber activities, and dispatch of workers abroad to fund its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, and committed to continue trilateral efforts focused on combatting them. They welcomed the recent launch of the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) by their respective Vice Foreign Ministers and likeminded partners in Seoul last week, which will reinstate a comprehensive and effective monitoring and reporting mechanism for UN sanctions on the DPRK. They acknowledged their support for President Yoon’s vision of a free, peaceful, and prosperous Korean Peninsula and reiterated their support for a unified Peninsula that is free and at peace.
The National Security Advisors strongly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion in the waters of the Indo-Pacific and underscored their commitment to the global maritime order based on international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including freedom of navigation and overflight. They reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and called for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. The National Security Advisors also agreed to increase coordination of efforts to combat pervasive threats in the cyber domain. They expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in the Middle East and called on all parties to de-escalate tensions and work toward a sustainable ceasefire. National Security Advisor Sullivan, National Security Advisor Shin, and National Security Advisor Akiba resolved to institutionalize efforts to build a new era of trilateral partnership that will be a force for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond for years to come. They committed to work toward holding another Trilateral Leaders’ Summit at the earliest opportunity.
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