A senior US official emphasized the significance of the Korea-Japan summit, stating that it will result in historic achievements such as mutual security agreements and regular consultations in times of crisis. The summit, which will be held at Camp David on the 18th, will involve US President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The official stated that a series of trilateral statements and findings will be issued, covering various areas of engagement such as education, technology, diplomacy, and military. The leaders will commit to meeting annually and invest in appropriate technology to establish a helpline in times of crisis. They will also promise to consult with each other if any circumstances affect the security of the three countries. However, the official clarified that this commitment is not an official alliance or collective defense pledge like NATO. Furthermore, the official highlighted the importance of choosing Camp David, as it holds historical significance and demonstrates the commitment to deeper cooperation. The official praised the courageous diplomacy of President Yoon and the corresponding efforts of Prime Minister Kishida, emphasizing the rare leadership displayed by both leaders. The official also addressed concerns about China’s opposition to the summit, stating that it helps Russia in its aggression towards Ukraine and denies that the summit is solely a response to North Korea’s provocations. Overall, the summit aims to strengthen ties and regional security in the Indo-Pacific region.
A senior US official emphasized that historic achievements such as mutual security agreements and harmonizing meetings will be made at the Korea-Japan summit. In particular, he said that consultations would become mandatory if a situation affected the security of the three countries. Reporter Jo Sang-jin reports.
US President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will issue a series of trilateral statements and findings containing content to strengthen ties at a summit held at Camp David on the 18th, he said senior US officer.
[미 정부 고위 당국자] “We will have a series of three-way statements and results that we will present. They are in all areas of engagement between our three countries education, technology, diplomacy, military. I believe that the three leaders will commit that the future leaders will meet annually. We are going to take the steps to invest in the appropriate technology, to build a first class tripartite helpline that we can take in times of crisis and uncertainty. And the three leaders will make a promise, what we would call a duty to consult if there is a crisis or set of circumstances that affect the security of any of our countries. “
A senior US government official revealed this in an online briefing related to the Korea-Japan summit on the 17th and said, “This will cover all areas between the three countries, including education, technology, diplomacy, and military.”
In addition, he made it clear that “the leaders of the three countries will promise to meet every year even the future leaders,” making it clear that regardless of which government in each country steps in, the they will make it clear that the US-ROK -Japan summit is held regularly.
“We will invest in appropriate technologies and take steps to establish a first-class tripartite helpline that can participate in moments of crisis and uncertainty,” he said.
In addition, he emphasized, “The three leaders will promise their obligation to consult if there is a crisis or a series of circumstances that affect the security of the three countries.”
He said the consultation commitments to be announced at the trilateral summit “will take the security and broader coordination of all of us to the next level in a fundamental way.”
[미 정부 고위당국자] “The commitment to consultation that comes out of tomorrow’s summit really means that all of us are taking our security and our wider cohesion to the next level in a really fundamental way. What it seeks to recognize and build at its core is the fact that we share an interconnected fundamental security environment and that something that is a threat to any one of us is fundamentally a threat to all of that.”
“At the heart of this commitment is the fact that we share an interconnected fundamental security environment, and that what is a threat to any one of us is, by default, a threat to everyone else.”
However, the line was drawn that this type of pledge is not an official alliance pledge, nor is it a collective defense pledge like the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO · NATO).
[미 정부 고위당국자] “It’s not a formal alliance commitment. It is not a mutual defense commitment lifted from an early cold war security agreement. But what is true is a commitment among our three countries that if there is a contingency or a regional threat, we will consult immediately and quickly with each other. We will discuss ways to share information, to harmonize our messages, and to take policy action alongside each other. We are clear that this commitment does not impair the right of any of our countries to defend itself under international law nor does it alter or impair in any way the existing bilateral treaty obligations between the United States and Japan, and the US and ROK. “
However, the official said, “It is a promise among the three countries to consult each other immediately and promptly in the event of a regional crisis or threat. We will discuss how to share information, coordinate messages and work together to take action policy.” he emphasized.
“We make it clear that this commitment does not violate either country’s right to protection under international law and does not alter or affect in any way the existing bilateral agreements between the United States and Japan than between the United States and South Korea,” he added. .
He emphasized that such a security commitment would be a very important step to build a ‘habit’ of deeper cooperation in the future.
A senior US government official also explained that choosing Camp David, the holiday home of the US president, as the location of the summit was a very careful choice given its important historical significance.
[미 정부 고위당국자] “Camp David was chosen quite carefully. I think there is recognition that that location is reserved for the most important and significant meetings only. Obviously there were previous sessions, including a meeting with the president with the Israeli and Palestinian delegations, also at the end of the second world war, a number of different and held a number of different, very important meetings. I think we believe this is obvious at that level. I think our goal will be to conclude a tripartite engagement that will make it difficult to track the commitments that all three will make at David’s Camp. And yet, I think it is nothing short of what has been historically achieved.”
Then, remembering that negotiations were held at Camp David to declare the end of the Second World War and that an agreement was reached to normalize the conflict between Israel and Palestine at the end of the 1970s, he emphasized, “I believe that this summit is definitely at that level. ”
The aim of this tripartite summit was to “confirm the tripartite engagement that makes it difficult to reverse the commitments of the three leaders at Camp David,” he said.
A high-ranking US government official also praised the success of the trilateral summit, saying, “There was courageous diplomacy by Korean President Seok-yeol Yoon and corresponding efforts by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.”
[미 정부 고위당국자] “What we have seen over the past few months is nothing less than brave diplomacy on the part of president Yoon and matching efforts by prime minister Kishida. I want to underline that this is the rarest thing to observe this kind of leadership from prime minister kishida and president Yoon. And it needs to be recognized internationally because it is extremely challenging and important to the steps they have taken.”
In other words, the heads of state of the two countries made a bold decision for trilateral cooperation in the face of various objections from those within their own countries.
He emphasized that such leadership from the two leaders is very rare, and he emphasized that “the steps they took were challenging and very important, so they need to be recognized internationally.”
Meanwhile, a senior US government official pointed out that China’s opposition to the summit rather helps Russia to illegally invade Ukraine and expand its diplomatic and economic involvement.
At the same time, he denied that the trilateral summit between the United States, South Korea and Japan was a measure to strengthen regional security in response to North Korea’s continued provocations.
[미 정부 고위당국자] “I think we’ve also seen a series of military tests over the years as provocations on the part of North Korea. These tests are related to the perfecting of some military and nuclear capabilities that seriously threaten northeast Asia to Japan and South Korea. And so I think what you’re referring to these concerns are long standing and ongoing. And in many ways I would suggest that what you’re seeing in Japan, South Korea and the United States is largely a response to actions and security measures that we believe are counter-intuitive to our interests.”
It is noted that “North Korea’s tests are aimed at completing some military and nuclear capabilities that pose a serious threat to Japan and South Korea in Northeast Asia.”
“In many ways, what you see in Japan, South Korea and the United States are mainly security measures and responses that go against our interests,” he said.
The official also said that what the US government is after is not just to tie Japan and South Korea together.
“The Indo-Pacific strategy of the United States is to make it clear to everyone that the United States will continue to be located in the Indo-Pacific region,” he reiterated.
This is VOA News Cho Sang-jin.
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