Top nuclear envoys of S. Korea, U.S., Japan vow coordination against N.K. threats amid martial law turmoil

The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan vowed close coordination Monday to manage “future situations stably” in the event of any possible provocations by North Korea, Seoul’s foreign ministry said.

Cho Koo-rae, vice foreign minister for strategy and intelligence, shared the view with Daniel Kritenbrink, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs at the State Department; and Hiroyuki Namazu, director general for Asian and Oceanian affairs at Japan’s foreign ministry, during the three-way talks in Tokyo, the ministry said in a release.

The envoys agreed that the trilateral cooperation on North Korea is “more crucial than ever” and “emphasized the need for close cooperation to manage future situations stably while remaining alert to North Korea’s provocations,” the ministry said.

“They committed to a firm joint response in case of any provocation,” it said.

Monday’s gathering came as uncertainties over South Korea’s leadership have raised concerns over possible military provocations by the North, following a failed parliamentary impeachment vote against President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law declaration last week.

Noting that China’s constructive role is crucial in deterring the North, the envoys “recognized the need to strengthen communication” with Beijing on this issue, the ministry said.

They also reaffirmed the commitment to sharing relevant developments and strengthening their strategic coordination to achieve the North’s denuclearization, reiterating the call on Pyongyang to cease provocative acts and hostile rhetoric, and return to dialogue.

The envoys agreed to continue efforts to lead a “firm and united response” from the international community against the illegal military cooperation between Russia and the North, the ministry said.

They also discussed efforts to block the North’s illegal funding channels used for nuclear and missile development, including its illegal cyber activities and the dispatch of workers overseas.

In this vein, they welcomed the recent launch of the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, a new mechanism established jointly with partner countries to monitor U.N. sanctions on North Korea.

On the sidelines of the three-way meeting, Cho and Kritenbrink held bilateral talks to reaffirm their commitment to maintain a robust combined defense posture and agreed to maintain close communication to deter any provocations by North Korea, the ministry said.

They also agreed to closely monitor developments related to Moscow’s potential military support to Pyongyang in return for its troop deployment to Russia, while coordinating their responses accordingly, it said.