1. The Director-General for Nonproliferation and Nuclear Affairs, Mr. PARK Younghyo, held the 16th ROK-Japan Disarmament and Nonproliferation Consultation with Mr. KAIFU Atsushi, Director-General of the Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, on May 29, on the occasion of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) High-level Political Meeting in Jeju (5.30-6.2).  

2. The two sides exchanged views on challenges faced by the international disarmament and nonproliferation regime, and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation in various fields including nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, and export control. Both sides reaffirmed that the Republic of Korea and Japan will further strengthen their cooperation in nonproliferation and counter-proliferation including through the framework of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), the United Nations General Assembly First Committee and the PSI.

3. Both sides expressed serious concern about the ongoing nuclear threats posed by the DPRK, and stressed that the DPRK’s notification of its plan to launch a ballistic missile under the pretext of a satellite launch is a clear violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions and urged the DPRK to refrain from carrying out such illegal launch.

4. This consultation marked the first meeting in 5 years since their last meeting in 2018. It provided an excellent opportunity to intensify bilateral cooperation between the two like-minded countries.