• The three, who met on the sidelines of a meeting of the Group of 20 foreign ministers, agreed to work closely to deal with Pyongyang

TOKYO: Top diplomats of Japan, the United States and South Korea on Friday agreed to strengthen the three countries’ security cooperation in order to enhance deterrence.

In a meeting in Bali, Indonesia, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin also shared serious concern about North Korea’s continued activities to develop nuclear weapons and missiles.

The three, who met on the sidelines of a meeting of the Group of 20 foreign ministers, agreed to work closely to deal with Pyongyang.

Tokyo, Washington and Seoul previously held a meeting of their foreign ministers in Hawaii in February. The latest meeting was the first since South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol took office in May.

This year, North Korea has fired many ballistic missiles. In addition, signs have emerged that the country may carry out a nuclear test.

Such moves “pose a threat to the peace and safety of our country and the international community at large,” Hayashi told an online press conference after the meeting. “They are definitely unacceptable.”

The three ministers also exchanged views on Russia’s aggression of Ukraine.

Earlier on Friday, Hayashi and Park had a short conversation during a session of the ongoing G-20 meeting.

Hayashi asked that Seoul make efforts to restore sound relations between Japan and South Korea. He apparently had in mind bilateral disputes including on a wartime labor issue.

Park expressed deep regrets and concern about Friday’s fatal shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

JIJI Press