1. During his visit to New York, the US, for the UN Security Council’s first-ever thematic meeting on April 28 on the denuclearization of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met trilaterally with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson of the US and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan ahead of the meeting.

2. In his opening statement, Minister Yun noted with appreciation that since its launch, the Trump administration has been addressing the North Korean nuclear issue as its top priority, crediting frequent and speedy strategic high-level communication among the Republic of Korea, the United States and Japan, including during the visits to the ROK and Japan by Secretary of Defense Mattis, Secretary of State Tillerson and Vice President Pence, as a significant driving force.

° The Minister took note of the growing US-China coordination on the North Korean nuclear issue, as can be seen from the recent bilateral summit talks where the two sides had agreed to implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions in accordance with the principle of non-tolerance for a nuclear North Korea. On that note, he underscored the need for the ROK, the US and Japan to communicate and work closely with China for it to play an active role in efforts to pressure North Korea, including cutting off its source of funds.

° The Minister brought renewed attention to the failure of all of the denuclearization agreements caused by the North’s deceptive acts and breaches of those accords, stressing that given the past behavior and the nature of the North Korean regime, it is important to keep sanctions and pressure on the North in place; and that the international community should work unwaveringly toward a complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement (CVID) of the North Korean nuclear and missile programs.

3. Secretary of State Tillerson, taking note of close coordination among the ROK, the US and Japan amid the grave circumstance triggered by the North Korean nuclear issue, mentioned that the trilateral foreign ministerial meeting clearly demonstrates the vital importance of trilateral coordination in tackling the issue. He added that the US government, on its part, will continue its global campaign to put pressure on the North centered on sanctions on its regime. He went on to say that such diplomatic pressure should be backed by strong military measures, making clear that the US commitment to the defense of its allies is steadfast.

° Foreign Minister Kishida of Japan stressed that with the North Korean nuclear program having reached a critical point, the ROK, the US, Japan and the rest of the international community should be united in thoroughly sanctioning and pressuring the North; and that in the course, it is important to continuously persuade China and Russia to act responsibly.

4. The Ministers and the Secretary drew a common understanding that as the nuclear threat from North Korea poses a challenge of a new level to not only their three countries but also the rest of the international community, sanctions and pressure on the North should be kept in place in close cooperation with the international community. They also shared the view that with North Korea failing to show any willingness toward denuclearization, it is important to jointly put strong pressure on the North to make it change its strategic calculus and take the path toward a meaningful and genuine denuclearization; and that the ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council to come later in the day will serve as a significant opportunity to muster the commitment of the international community to that end.

° The three top diplomats agreed to maintain a strong military deterrence in the face of possible additional provocations by North Korea, and to take as soon as possible punitive measures, such as the adoption of a resolution containing sanctions tougher than those under the existing Resolutions 2270 and 2321, should the North indeed engage in another provocation.

° Recognizing the paramount importance of China’s role in this course, the Ministers and the Secretary agreed to continue close consultations on specific ways to keep China playing a constructive role.

5. The Security Council ministerial meeting came as part of the unprecedented series of measures taken by the Trump administration of the US in response to the North Korean nuclear program, and as such, clearly manifests that the US government is taking a new approach to actively seek a solution to the issue. The US government reaffirmed that it will maintain close consultation and watertight coordination with the ROK and Japan in the course of putting diplomatic, economic and military pressure on the North.


* unofficial translation