Japan, U.S., S. Korea Reconfirm Cooperation over N. Korea

   Tokyo, July 18 (Jiji Press)--Senior diplomats from Japan, the United States and South Korea on Friday reconfirmed that the countries will work closely together to deal with North Korea's military cooperation with Russia and cyberattacks including cryptocurrency thefts by Pyongyang.
   Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo met in Tokyo for about an hour and 35 minutes.
   This was the first meeting among the three countries' vice minister-level diplomatic officials since such talks in Seoul last October, and also the first since the launch of the second administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and the inauguration of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.
   Funakoshi, Landau and Park expressed "serious concerns" over North Korea's nuclear and missile development, confirming their countries' engagement in the efforts to completely denuclearize North Korea based on relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions.
   On North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals decades ago, Funakoshi expressed his gratitude to Landau and Park, who both backed actions taken by Japan.

(2025/07/18-20:50)