Seoul
South Korea’s Deputy Nuclear Envoy, Lee Jun-il, engaged in discussions with US Deputy Special Representative for North Korea, Jung Pak, and Hiroyuki Namazu, Director-General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs at Japan’s foreign ministry. The meeting focused on devising strategies to counter North Korea’s escalating military threats, including its recent military spy satellite launch. During the discussions, the three nations, South Korea, the United States, and Japan, agreed to enhance cooperation in responding to North Korea’s provocations. This collaborative effort was highlighted as Deputy Nuclear Envoy Lee is in Tokyo for a three-day visit, participating in the inaugural trilateral working-group talks aimed at bolstering cooperation against North Korea’s cyber threats. The envoys commended the joint coordinated response of South Korea, the United States, Japan, and Australia in imposing sanctions on Pyongyang following the North’s satellite launch. They expressed a commitment to working closely together as the three countries are set to be members of the U.N. Security Council next year. In addition to the trilateral meeting, Lee held bilateral talks with Jung Pak to discuss strategies for deterring North Korea’s nuclear and missile development. Further, he met with Hamamoto Yukiya, Japan’s new Deputy Nuclear Envoy, emphasizing the importance of the recent foreign ministerial meeting among Seoul, Tokyo, and Beijing as an opportunity for in-depth discussions on peace on the Korean Peninsula.
