Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Trilateral Meeting with Republic of Korea First Vice Foreign Minister Choi and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori

Office of the Spokesperson

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman met with Republic of Korea First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong Kun and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori Takeo today in Washington. The Deputy Secretary and the two vice foreign ministers reaffirmed that trilateral cooperation between the United States, the Republic of Korea, and Japan is essential to tackling the most pressing challenges of the 21st Century in the region and across the globe.

During the meeting, the Deputy Secretary discussed opportunities for trilateral cooperation to address a range of global issues, including the climate crisis, global health security and COVID-19 response, the resiliency and security of critical supply chains, and our shared commitment to human rights and democratic values.

The Deputy Secretary and the two vice foreign ministers emphasized the importance of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, including through multilateral partnerships that advance our shared prosperity, security, and values. They reaffirmed the centrality of ASEAN to the architecture of the Indo-Pacific and the critical role it plays in ensuring stability, economic opportunity, and our shared commitment to maintain the rules-based international order.

The Deputy Secretary highlighted the close coordination of the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea to work toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and their intent to address the threat posed by the nuclear and ballistic missile programs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.