U.S., Japan, South Korea to form permanent secretariat to align policies

Vice ministers also call on North Korea to engage in dialogue without preconditions

20240531 Kurt Campbell farm

From left, Japan’s Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong Kyun meet at Campbell’s personal estate in Rappahannock, Virginia, on May 31. (Pool photo) 

KEN MORIYASU, Nikkei Asia diplomatic correspondent

WASHINGTON -- The U.S., Japan and South Korea will create a permanent secretariat to enhance engagement and align policies, as the trilateral grouping emerges as a key bulwark to maintain peace and security across the Indo-Pacific.

Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell told reporters before a meeting of vice ministers on Friday, that the aim of the coordinating body is to "make sure that we maintain forward momentum on the important work of this trilateral grouping." The three countries will explore new areas of cooperation, "not just in northeast Asia, but globally," he said.

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