Seoul, Aug 28 South Korea's Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho said on Wednesday that he believes his countries trilateral cooperation with the United States and Japan will remain steadfast regardless of the outcome of the upcoming US presidential elections, in the face of North Korea's provocations.
Kim made the remarks during a forum hosted by the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul.
The event brought together officials and security experts from the three nations to commemorate the first anniversary of the historic trilateral summit, Yonhap news agency reported.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, US President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met at the Camp David presidential retreat on August 18, 2023, and agreed to deepen military and economic cooperation, taking a united stand against the security threats posed by North Korea.
"I believe that cooperation among the three nations in response to North Korea's provocations and for the denuclearisation of North Korea will remain unchanged, regardless of any political leadership changes," Kim said in his opening remarks.
The comments came after both the Democratic and Republican parties in the US omitted the long-elusive denuclearisation goal from their platforms, raising questions about how the next administration might address North Korea's nuclear threats and whether this signals a potential shift in policy focus.
"There has been much talk regarding the platforms of the current US presidential candidates," Kim noted, adding, "However, the complete denuclearisation of North Korea is a solid agreement among the three countries."
US Ambassador to South Korea, Philip Goldberg, emphasised the importance of "institutionalising" cooperation with South Korea and Japan.
"As such, we must carry this new era of trilateral partnership forward, institutionalise our cooperation, and seek every opportunity to advance our interests together at every level," Goldberg said.
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