Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

20th Asian Security Conference features Trilateral Defense Ministers’ Meeting

Urged the North to immediately stop acts that escalate tension in the region

To conduct anti-submarine warfare and maritime missile defense drills on a regular basis

To resume maritime interdiction exercises and counter-piracy exercises soon

On June 3, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup (right), US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (middle), and Japan’s Minister of Defense Yasukazu Hamada join hands to pose for a photo during a trilateral defense ministers’ meeting at the 20th Asian Security Conference held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore.

The defense ministers of Korea, the United States and Japan promised close cooperation on the common goal of attaining “complete denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula” in accordance with a UN Security Council resolution (UNSCR). In particular, they agreed to promote trilateral cooperation including information sharing, high-level policy consultations and trilateral exercises by operating a system to share North Korean missile warning data in real time within this year.

On June 3, the Defense Ministry said, “Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup discussed these issues with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin and Japan’s Minister of Defense Yasukazu Hamada at a Trilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting held during the 20th Asian Security Conference.”

The ministers of the three countries discussed ways to strengthen trilateral exercises to deter North Korea’s advanced nuclear and missile threats and exchanged views on how to respond to common challenges to security in the Indo-Pacific region.

First, the three ministers strongly condemned and expressed deep concern over North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile program that pose grave threats to the peace and stability of the international community, and agreed to respond to these developments with closely coordinated trilateral cooperation.

In particular, they said, “North Korea’s recent firing of a long-range ballistic missile, which it claims to be a space launch vehicle, represents a serious violation of the UN Security Council resolutions banning launches using ballistic missile technology.” They reached a consensus to react firmly, bolstered by trilateral and international community cooperation.

The three ministers also urged the international community to completely implement the UN Security Council resolutions. They emphasized, “It is important to continue international efforts to restrain, prevent and ultimately eradicate North Korea’s illegal transshipments, and we call for North Korea to end irresponsible acts that escalate tension on the Korean Peninsula immediately and observe every obligation of the UN Security Council resolutions.”

Furthermore, the three ministers agreed to operate a system to share North Korean missile warning data in real time within this year to promote the ability of countries to detect and assess North Korea’s missiles according to an agreement reached between President Yoon Suk Yeol, US President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the summit in Phnom Penh on November 13, 2022.

Accordingly, ongoing developments and technical issues will be discussed in working-level consultations. Additional progress is expected to be made within a few months towards operating a real-time missile warning data sharing mechanism.

Moreover, they arrived at an agreement to strengthen their defense readiness to counter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, and to conduct regular defense exercises such as anti-submarine warfare exercise and maritime missile defense exercises to contain the North’s threats.

They also reconfirmed their commitment to strengthen trilateral coordination and cooperation among Korea, the United States, and Japan, utilizing the Trilateral Information-Sharing Agreement (TISA) signed in 2014. Also, they welcomed the recent normalization of the Korea-Japan General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and concurred on the importance of building confidence related to defense among countries in the region and deepening cooperation to put these efforts into a system.

Regional security situations were discussed in the meeting. The three ministers established a consensus that regarding key outstanding issues for the promotion of a free and open Indo-Pacific, it is important to promote trilateral cooperation including information sharing, high-level policy consultation and trilateral exercises.

Furthermore, they reconfirmed a promise to resume maritime interdiction exercises and counter-piracy exercises soon, and agreed to identify additional areas of trilateral cooperation such as disaster response and humanitarian support.

They voiced strong opposition to unilateral action that triggers regional tension. They stressed the importance of law and order, and expressed strong opposition to unilateral action that attempts to change status in quo by force and escalate tension in the region.

Regarding Russia and Ukraine, they reconfirmed that they side with Ukraine and oppose Russian aggression and that the war is a serious violation of territorial integrity and sovereignty and weakens the structure of the entire international order.

Concerning the Taiwan Strait, they emphasized the importance of peace and stability, and expressed concern over acts that are not in compliance with international laws including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and that it is important to fully respect international orders including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, and other legitimate uses of the oceans.

Furthermore, the United States reconfirmed its firm defense commitment for Korea and Japan backed by capabilities in all spheres including nuclear weapons. Korea and Japan emphasized that bilateral and trilateral cooperation are important to protect and promote common security goals. The defense officials of the three countries also agreed to closely cooperate to protect peace and stability in the region and the world, the Defense Ministry said.

Korea and US to make “joint salvage and investigation of North’s Korea’s launch vehicle”

Earlier, Korean and US defense chiefs had a brief meeting and agreed to make joint recovery and investigation of a launch vehicle North Korea fired on May 31, which it claimed to be a space satellite.

The meeting lasted for 10 minutes. Since the two allies fully discussed military cooperation during the G7 Summit in May and Washington Summit in April, a formal meeting was not scheduled.

However, the two ministers had an unscheduled meeting after Secretary Austin concluded his speech in the plenary session, and before the defense ministers of Korea, United States and Japan convened for their meeting.

In addition, they discussed the establishment of the Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) that the leaders of the two countries had agreed to create with a view to strengthening extended deterrence at the Korea-US Summit in April.

A Defense Ministry official told reporters, “The two ministers agreed that the defense ministries of both countries have many roles to play in strengthening the execution of extended deterrence, including the establishment of the NCG. They pledged to remain vigilant in ensuring that these responsibilities are substantially implemented.”

By Chae-Mu, Im <lims86@dema.mil.kr > 

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