Japan, US, S Korea to curb N. Korean nuclear, missile development
Japan, the United States and South Korea on Saturday called for denuclearization of North Korea and vowed to promote trilateral cooperation to curb Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development and further provocative actions.
Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan Jin shared the view North Korea's de-facto long-range missile test in December and its third nuclear test in February pose a "serious threat" to security in Northeast Asia and the world.
The ministers demanded North Korea comply with requirements of U.N. Security Council resolutions, such as abandoning its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs, the statement said.
It was the first gathering of the three defense ministers since North Korea conveyed to Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 24 its readiness to rejoin the six-party denuclearization talks, raising hope for an easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula that had escalated after a missile launch and nuclear test by North Korea, and a torrent of war-like rhetoric against South Korea and the United States.