'Serious, unlawful provocations': South Korea, US, Japan condemn North Korea's missile tests

SEOUL: Senior officials from South Korea, the United States, and Japan said on Wednesday that North Korea's recent missile tests were "serious, unlawful" provocations, urging Pyongyang to return to dialogue and accept offers of COVID-19 aid. South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori made the comments as they gathered in Seoul, three days after North Korea conducted the latest in a series of missile tests. The three-way meeting of the countries` No. 2 diplomats, the first such gathering since November and the first since South Korea`s President Yoon Suk-yeol took office in May, highlighted the urgency and gravity of North Korea`s intensifying weapons tests.

Moris' visit was also the first by a Japanese vice foreign minister since late 2017, when bilateral ties were strained over issues such as Japan's occupation of the Korean peninsula and wartime labor.

Republic of Korea First Vice Foreign Minister Cho, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori, and I held a very productive trilateral meeting in Seoul. We discussed regional and global security and prosperity. pic.twitter.com/G9PgMGxfkW — Wendy R. Sherman (@DeputySecState) June 8, 2022

Seoul and Washington's officials have said North Korea is ready for what would be its first nuclear test since 2017, which Sherman has said would trigger a strong and clear response.

The trio urged Pyongyang to abide by international sanctions and immediately cease actions that "escalate tensions or destabilize the region," a joint statement said.

They also agreed to increase trilateral security cooperation to counter North Korean threats, with Sherman reiterating the United States' defense commitments, including extended deterrence.

"They stressed that a path to serious and sustained dialogue remains open and urged the DPRK to return to negotiations, while also expressing their hope that the DPRK will respond positively to international offers of assistance to fight against COVID-19," the statement said, referring to North Korea by its the initials of its official name, the Democratic People`s Republic of Korea.