1. Amb. Kim Gunn, Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, met with Amb. Sung Kim, U.S. Special Representative for the DPRK, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on the morning of October 16.

2. The two sides shared their assessments of the grave situation on the Korean Peninsula, including the release of additional evidence on military cooperation between Russia and North Korea last week, and reaffirmed that there would be clear consequences for North Korea's illegal activities that undermine peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the international community as a whole. In particular, they emphasized that Russia and North Korea should not engage in any military cooperation strictly prohibited by United Nations Security Council resolutions, and agreed to further enhance ROK-U.S. coordination on information sharing and response measures.

3. In addition, the two sides have decided to firmly respond to additional provocations, including the so-called 'satellite' launch that North Korea said it would attempt again in October. They also committed to deterring North Korea's nuclear and missile threats by leveraging overwhelming superiority in power, based on strong collaboration between the two countries, including on the enhancement of extended deterrence capabilities, which was demonstrated by the recent port call of the U.S. aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan in Busan.

4. Furthermore, the two sides emphasized that the international community will never accept North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons, and committed to stepping up comprehensive efforts to dissuade North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and missiles. In this regard, the two sides stressed the importance of the international community's thorough implementation of sanctions against North Korea to block its revenue sources, including illicit cyber activities, the dispatch of overseas workers, and ship-to-ship transfers. Particularly, in order to secure a responsible and constructive role from China, a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a country with influence over North Korea, the two sides agreed to continue efforts to engage and communicate with China, such as the recent high-level exchanges between the ROK and China and between the U.S. and China.

5. The two sides shared the understanding that North Korea's nuclear and missile development is directly linked to North Korean human rights issues, as it has been pursued at the expense of the livelihood and human rights of North Korean people. With the appointment of Julie Turner as the U.S. Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues, they agreed to further strengthen cooperation between the ROK and the U.S. to improve the human rights situation in North Korea.

6. Furthermore, sharing the view that amid the recent resumption of the return of North Korean people, there is a serious risk of human rights violations if North Korean defectors are forcibly repatriated, and thus they should never be forcibly sent back to North Korea against their will, the two sides committed to making efforts to prevent such incidents.