Defense Chiefs Agree to Stop N. Korea's Nuclear Program

Singapore, June 1 (Jiji Press)--The defense ministers of Japan, the United States and South Korea reaffirmed Saturday that the three countries will continue working closely in order to stop nuclear development by North Korea. Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and South Korean National Defense Minister Kim Kwan Jin reached the agreement at their meeting on the sidelines of the Asia Security Summit in Singapore. They shared the view that North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and acts of provocation, including a long-range ballistic missile launch in December last year and a nuclear test in February are "serious threats that undermine not only the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula but also those of Northeast Asia and around the world," according to a joint statement issued after their meeting. "The three ministers affirmed that they will continue their collaboration to deter North Korean threats of nuclear and missile development and further provocative acts," the statement said. It also said they "strongly called for North Korea to comply with the obligations pursuant to the U.N. Security Council resolutions...including the abandonment of all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear program." The three-way defense ministerial talks took place for the first time in three years. After the talks, Onodera told reporters that he has agreed with Hagel and Kim to work closely in the face of North Korean threats and move forward trilateral defense cooperation. On the failure to arrange a bilateral meeting with Kim amid tensions between Japan and South Korea over history issues, Onodera said the two countries have agreed to continue working-level talks. Before the ministerial talks, Onodera held another trilateral meeting, with his U.S. and Australian counterparts. The Japanese, U.S. and Australian ministers agreed to promote peaceful solutions to conflicts based on international law, apparently with an eye on China, which has became increasingly vocal in territorial claims in the East China Sea and South China Sea. END