US, Japan, S. Korea hold talks on N. Korea's nuclear threat

The United States, Japan and South Korea held three-way talks on Wednesday to discuss regional threats and their commitment to work together on curbing North Korea's nuclear program.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told reporters after the meeting that close coordination among the countries "sends a very critical message to North Korea in that we are together and shoulder-to-shoulder in our approach to this policy."

Sherman met her counterparts, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori and South Korea's Choi Jong-Kum, in Tokyo.

What did officials talk about?

The officials reaffirmed the importance of upholding international rules, including tackling unilateral attempts — a veiled reference to Chinese activity in the South and East China Seas — to change the status quo in the region.

"When countries take actions that run counter to the United States' interests or that threatens our partners and allies, we will not let those challenges go unanswered," Sherman said.

Officials discussed upholding international order in the Indo-Pacific, including maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, championing economic activity and human rights.

Are the talks a big deal?

The significance of the talks can be understood through the lens of the varying political interests of the countries.

South Korea's Choi stayed away from discussing China at the meeting, emphasizing the importance of maintaining dialogue with North Korea instead. 

Seoul worries about being caught in the middle of deteriorating relations between the US and its biggest trading partner in recent years.

Even though North Korea has rebuffed some of the measures put forth by the US in recent months, Shermanmaintained the US was "ready to engage with North Korea and they know that." 

Relations between Japan and South Korearemain tense, stemming from their issues dating back to Japan's colonization of the Korean Peninsula and atrocities committed from 1910 to 1945.

The historic dispute blew up in 2019 and hit trade between the neighbors.

The US made no mention of the tension during the meeting, but said it had "no greater friends" than itstwo Asian allies in the region.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in recently declined to visit the Tokyo Olympics, in what would have been his first summit with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suge.

rm/sri (Reuters, AFP)