S. KOREA-U.S.-JAPAN SUMMIT

[Anchor Lead]

South Korea, the US and Japan held summit talks on the sidelines of the NATO summit, in what was the first such meeting in four years and nine months. The three leaders agreed to strengthen coordination against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threat. In a speech at the NATO summit, President Yoon Suk-yeol also called for attention to the issue of denuclearizing North Korea.

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Presidents Yoon Suk-yeol, Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sat down for talks. The key topic in the first trilateral meeting in nearly five years was North Korea. The leaders agreed to step up three-way coordination to counter advancing threats posed by the regime’s nuclear and missile programs. The U.S. also reaffirmed its pledge on extended deterrence.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(President) : "Trilateral cooperation has become more important amid the North’s ever advancing threats and global uncertainties."

President Yoon also spoke at the NATO summit, a first as a South Korean leader. He stressed a global alliance of shared values such as liberty and peace and urged NATO members’ to take greater interest in denuclearizing North Korea. There were also efforts to spur progress in improving Seoul-Tokyo relations strained by historical issues. Yoon and Kishida crossed each other’s path five times including at the trilateral summit and a gala dinner and expressed willingness to enhance ties.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(President) : "I am confident that Seoul and Tokyo can resolve pending issues and advance relations as partners for the joint benefit of both sides."

Leaders of South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand who were invited to the NATO gathering also held meetings and discussed a new strategic vision for the Indo-Pacific region. President Yoon described the talks as a meaningful step in improving cooperation between countries that respect freedom and human rights and creating an international order based on such values.