Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said they will strengthen co-operation with NATO and also agreed that North Korea’s deepening ties with Russia pose a “serious threat.”
Japanese officials said they reaffirmed during their meeting in Washington that Japan and South Korea will strengthen co-operation with the US, as well as NATO and Indo-Pacific partners, as regional issues become more complex and have wider implications. Kishida stated:
In light of the current international situation, it is very important for the leaders of Japan and South Korea to share a strong relationship of trust and recognition of strategic issues, and to hold discussions and work closely together.
Yoon noted that North Korea’s strengthening of military and economic co-operation with Russia after they signed a comprehensive partnership pact last month raises “serious concerns for global security, not to mention East Asia,” the report said.
The agreement, which includes a provision for mutual assistance in the event of an attack on each other, was sealed when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea for the first time in 24 years.
NATO’s 75th anniversary summit kicked off in Washington on 9 July. The three-day event is being attended by delegates from all 32 member states, as well as Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Ukraine.
