LOC14:23
11:23 GMT
TOKYO, July 11 (KUNA) -- The top diplomats of Japan, the US and South Korea reaffirmed Friday that the robust Japan-US and US-South Korea alliances as well as coordination among three countries remain important amid the increasingly severe strategic environment surrounding them, Japan's Foreign Ministry said.
During their talks in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related gatherings, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo welcomed the advancement of concrete trilateral cooperation, the ministry said in a press release.
Iwaya, Rubio and Park also agreed to continue to strengthen the solidarity of the three countries and pursue the stability and prosperity of the region, it said.
The three expressed their serious concerns over North Korea's nuclear and missile development, and stressed their commitment toward the complete denuclearization of North Korea in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.
They also reaffirmed that the three countries will work closely together against issues such as the advancement of Russia-North Korea military cooperation and North Korea's "malicious" cyber activities including cryptocurrency thefts, which fund its nuclear and missile programs.
In addition, they exchanged their views on regional situations, including unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion, and affirmed that the three countries would work closely together. They also pledged to advance concrete cooperation in areas such as economic security. (end)
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