1. On the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and other ASEAN-related foreign ministerial meetings in Vientiane, Laos, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met bilaterally with US Secretary of State John Kerry on July 25. In their meeting, the two top diplomats discussed North Korean issues, including its nuclear program; issues concerning the Republic of Korea-United States alliance; and regional and global issues.

2. The Minister and the Secretary noted with appreciation that the ROK-US alliance has played a pivotal role for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia; and that the two countries have worked closely together on major issues, including those concerning North Korea and its nuclear program, as well as global issues.

° In that regard, the two sides took note of robust strategic and policy collaboration of late between their two countries at various levels, including the bilateral and the ROK-US-Japan vice foreign ministerial meetings on July 13 and 14 and the bilateral high-level strategic consultation scheduled for July 27. They also exchanged views on the possibility of holding a bilateral foreign and defense ministers’ (2+2) meeting in 2016.

3. The Minister and the Secretary, expressing concerns over North Korea’s repeated provocations, including the launches of intermediate-range ballistic missiles on June 22, a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on July 9, and ballistic missiles on July 19, in defiance of repeated warnings from the international community, agreed to continue seeking various ways to create a circumstance where North Korea cannot but stop provocations and take the path toward denuclearization.

° Minister Yun brought renewed attention to the grave situation where even in the wake of the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2270, North Korea has been launching ballistic missiles, which is banned by relevant Security Council resolutions, in an explicit expression of its intent for nuclear and missile development. He added that the international community should send a clear, firm and consistent message to North Korea on the occasions of the foreign ministerial meetings of the ARF and the East Asia Summit as well as various other multilateral events scheduled for the second half of the year 2016, thereby making the North realize that its only way out is the abandonment of its nuclear program.

° Secretary Kerry reaffirmed that under no circumstances, the US and the international community will recognize North Korea as a nuclear state. He added that instead of wasting time, North Korea must see that its threats toward the international community will eventually backfire as a threat to itself.

° The two sides drew a common understanding that it is the top priority for the denuclearization of North Korea to reinforce the momentum of international sanctions against and pressure on North Korea, including through a thorough implementation of Security Council resolutions. To that end, they agreed to work more closely with the international community, including China and Russia.

4. The Minister and the Secretary hailed the ROK-US alliance decision on July 8 to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) to US Forces Korea as a self-defensive measure to ensure the security of the ROK and its people from North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile threats. They voiced hope that it will contribute to effort to improve the ROK-US combined defense capability.

° The two sides noted that the ROK-China foreign ministerial meeting on July 24 and the visit of US National Security Adviser Susan Rice to China served as important opportunities for the ROK and the US to communicate with China in the wake of the announcement of the THAAD decision. They forecast that there will be various other opportunities for further communication.

5. The Minister and the Secretary exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual concern, including climate change, maritime affairs and refugees, and agreed to work more closely on them. Secretary Kerry took note of the ROK’s contributions in the healthcare sector.


* unofficial translation