U.S.-Japan-South Korea trilateral

A meeting between the leaders of Japan and South Korea has shown the issues that divide them, including North Korea.

As China opposed Yoon’s attendance at the NATO meetings, Seoul will likely face more complicated obstacles to deter North Korea’s nuclear and missile developments. 

New President Yoon Suk-yeol has been clear about his intentions. Putting rhetoric into practice will prove more difficult, but not impossible.

The Japan-South Korea-U.S. mechanism is a crucial piece in the United States’ broad Indo-Pacific strategy.

The three countries emphasized the importance of the alliance to cope with North Korea’s missile tests while urging Pyongyang to renew dialogue.

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is making the rounds in East Asia, with one notable omission from her itinerary.

The United States may have to play a leading role if it wants to see relations between Seoul and Tokyo improve.

South Korea’s foreign minister traveled to China while the country’s national security chief attended a meeting with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts in Washington.

A trilateral meeting between Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. reaffirms joint efforts on the denuclearization of North Korea.

If the FOIP strategy is to succeed, the two countries have some work to do.

The U.S. should encourage trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Japan to fight the pandemic, with an eye toward saving the Tokyo Games.