Current:Home > reviewsSouth Korea’s Yoon calls for strong security cooperation with US, Japan ahead of Camp David summit -ProfitLogic
South Korea’s Yoon calls for strong security cooperation with US, Japan ahead of Camp David summit
View
Date:2025-04-12 22:16:41
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s president called for deeper security cooperation with the U.S. and Japan to address North Korean nuclear threats, saying Tuesday that his upcoming summit with the U.S. and Japanese leaders at Camp David will “set a new milestone in trilateral cooperation.”
It will be the first time for the leaders of the three countries to gather entirely for a trilateral summit, rather than on the sidelines of international meetings. This suggests they are serious about boosting their ties in the face of North Korea’s advancing nuclear arsenal and China’s increasingly assertive foreign policy.
In their summit Friday at the U.S. presidential retreat in Maryland, President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are expected to announce plans for expanded military cooperation on ballistic missile defenses and technology development, according to two senior Biden administration officials.
“The ROK (Republic of Korea)-U.S.-Japan summit to be held at Camp David in three days will set a new milestone in trilateral cooperation contributing to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region,” Yoon said in a televised speech in Seoul on Tuesday.
Yoon’s speech marked the 78th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan’s 35-year colonial rule in 1945. Past South Korean presidents commonly used Liberation Day speeches to ask Japan to make fresh apologies over its colonial wrongdoing. But Yoon, a conservative who has pushed to resolve the historical grievance as a way to boost Seoul-Washington-Tokyo cooperation, didn’t do so and rather explained again why improved ties with Japan were needed.
Yoon said the seven rear bases provided to the U.S.-led U.N. Command by Japan serve as “the greatest deterrent” that keeps North Korea from invading South Korea. He said a North Korean invasion would trigger an immediate, automatic intervention by the U.N. Command and that the bases in Japan have the necessary land, sea and air capabilities.
“As partners that cooperate on security and the economy, Korea and Japan will be able to jointly contribute to peace and prosperity across the globe while collaborating and exchanging in a future-oriented manner,” Yoon said.
Yoon said the significance of Seoul-Washington-Tokyo security cooperation is growing on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.
“In order to fundamentally block North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, the Republic of Korea, the United States and Japan must closely cooperate on reconnaissance assets and share North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missiles data in real time,” Yoon said.
When they met at the margins of a regional conference in Cambodia in November, Yoon, Biden and Kishida said they intended to share North Korea missile warning data in real time to improve each country’s ability to detect and assess the threat posed by incoming missiles. In June, their defense ministers said they recognized efforts to activate such a data-sharing mechanism before the end of the year.
Worries about North Korea’s nuclear program has grown since the North openly threatened to use nuclear weapons in conflicts with its rivals and conducted about 100 missile tests since the start of last year. Many of the missiles tested were nuclear-capable weapons that place both South Korea and Japan within striking distance and could reach the U.S. mainland. South Korea and Japan together host about 80,000 U.S. troops.
In response to North Korea’s torrid run of missile tests, the United States and South Korea have expanded their military drills and resuming some trilateral training involving Japan. That has infuriated North Korea, views U.S.-led military exercises on and near the Korean Peninsula as an invasion rehearsal. North Korean officials say U.S. moves to bolster military cooperation with South Korea and Japan are pushing the North to reinforce its own military capability. ___
Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.
___
See more of AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific
veryGood! (6612)
Related
- $73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
- A man accused of stalking UConn star Paige Bueckers is found with an engagement ring near airport
- Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is expected in court after New York indictment
- These Zodiac Signs Will Be Affected the Most During the “Trifecta” Super Eclipse on September 17
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- Footage for Simone Biles' Netflix doc could be smoking gun in Jordan Chiles' medal appeal
- Dolphins place Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve after latest concussion, AP source says
- Horoscopes Today, September 17, 2024
- Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
- California governor signs laws to protect actors against unauthorized use of AI
Ranking
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Are Demonia Boots Back? These ‘90s Platform Shoes Have Gone Viral (Again) & You Need Them in Your Closet
- Why Suede Bags Are Fashion’s Must-Have Accessory This Fall
- Major companies abandon an LGBTQ+ rights report card after facing anti-diversity backlash
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Arizona tribe fights to stop lithium drilling on culturally significant lands
- Radio Nikki: Haley launching a weekly SiriusXM radio talk show at least through January
- A man accused of stalking UConn star Paige Bueckers is found with an engagement ring near airport
Recommendation
Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
Bret Michaels, new docuseries look back at ’80s hair metal debauchery: 'A different time'
The FBI is investigating suspicious packages sent to election officials in at least 8 states
Ex-officer testifies he beat a ‘helpless’ Tyre Nichols then lied about it
DeepSeek: Did a little known Chinese startup cause a 'Sputnik moment' for AI?
October Prime Day 2024: Everything We Know and Early Deals You Can Shop Now
2 former NYFD chiefs arrested in ongoing federal corruption investigation
Aubrey O' Day Speaks Out on Vindication After Sean Diddy Combs' Arrest