Senior diplomats from the United States, South Korea and Japan met Wednesday to discuss regional security issues in the face of concerns about a possible nuclear test by North Korea.
Japan’s First Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori hosted his South Korean and U.S. counterparts Cho Hyun Dong and Wendy Sherman in Tokyo for a trilateral session.
The session was prompted by speculation that Pyongyang will conduct a new nuclear test, after Kim Jong Un’s administration conducted a series of ballistic missile launches in recent weeks.
The previous meeting between Washington, Seoul and Tokyo took place in the South Korean capital in June.
The South Korean vice foreign minister met the previous day with Sherman, who reiterated the US commitment to the defense of both Asian countries.
«(The commitment) remains unwavering and we continue to pursue serious and sustained dialogue with the DPRK),» the deputy secretary of state said, the department said in a statement.
Separately, in another bilateral meeting, Cho met with Mori, who concluded that they would consult on different issues «of mutual interest» in the long term.
