Special Representative for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim’s Trilateral Call with Republic of Korea (ROK) Special Representative Noh and Japan Director General Funakoshi

Office of the Spokesperson

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:

In a January 17 trilateral call, U.S. Special Representative for the DPRK Sung Kim, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Funakoshi Takehiro, and ROK Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Noh Kyu-duk discussed the DPRK’s January 17 ballistic missile launches.

In his call with Special Representative Noh and Director General Funakoshi, Special Representative Kim reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, as well as its ironclad commitment to the defense of its allies, the ROK and Japan.

Special Representative Kim expressed concern about the DPRK’s missile launches, which violated multiple UN Security Council resolutions and were the latest in a series of ballistic missile launches by the DPRK this month.  He called on the DPRK to cease its unlawful and destabilizing activities and instead engage in dialogue, underscoring the United States’ continued openness to meeting the DPRK without preconditions.  The three officials committed to continue their close coordination.