1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held a trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Iwaya Takeshi on February 15 on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference held in Germany. They exchanged views on a range of issues, including the enhancement of Republic of Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral cooperation, responses to the North Korean threat, regional developments, and the expansion of economic collaboration.

2. The Ministers and the Secretary appreciated the contributions of trilateral cooperation to the safety, security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region as well as their three countries and agreed to further deepen the trilateral ties. In particular, they acknowledged that the scope of cooperation among the three countries is broadening beyond diplomacy and security to encompass economic security and cutting-edge technologies. They also committed to further institutionalizing trilateral cooperation through dialogues at all levels, including the Trilateral Coordinating Secretariat.

3. Reaffirming their resolute commitment to the complete denuclearization of the DPRK, the Ministers and the Secretary agreed to further strengthen the sanctions regime against the DPRK. To this end, they committed to placing strong pressure on the DPRK and responding firmly to violations and evasions of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. They made clear that they would not tolerate any threats and provocations by the DPRK against their respective countries. The Ministers and the Secretary also shared serious concerns over the illegal military cooperation between Russia and the DPRK, emphasizing that such activities must not result in any form of reward for the DPRK.

4. The Ministers and the Secretary emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and agreed to further deepen trilateral efforts in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

5. Recognizing that the scope of trilateral cooperation is broadening to areas such as economic security, AI, quantum technology, and semiconductors, the Ministers and the Secretary agreed to enhance communication at all levels to facilitate its further expansion. They committed to continued trilateral coordination to secure reliable and stable supply chains. In particular, Minister Cho called for continued support from the U.S. and Japan for the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), which the ROK is chairing this year. They further agreed to explore ways for enhanced cooperation in the field of energy, including liquefied natural gas.

6. The first trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting since the inauguration of the new U.S. administration served as an opportunity for the three countries to reaffirm their commitment to advancing trilateral cooperation and discuss its way forward.