Kishida, Biden, Yoon warn of firm response if North Korea conducts 7th nuclear test

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:50 JST, November 14, 2022

PHNOM PENH — If North Korea conducts a seventh nuclear test, it “would be met with a strong and resolute response from the international community,” according to a joint statement released Sunday after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held talks with U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.

The three leaders held their trilateral summit on the sidelines of the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to which their countries had been invited.

The joint statement strongly condemned North Korea for launching an unprecedented number of ballistic missiles, including several intercontinental ballistic missiles, and noted that the three nations would share data on North Korean missiles in real time.

The statement said Washington would strengthen its extended deterrence policy for Tokyo and Seoul to prevent nuclear attacks on U.S. allies with its nuclear capability.

With China’s increasing maritime expansion in mind, the statement pointed out that the three countries strongly oppose any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo. Regarding the Taiwan Strait issue, the statement noted the importance of maintaining peace and stability.

As for the situation in Ukraine, the statement stressed that Russia must not use nuclear weapons under any circumstances. Amid information circulating that Ukraine is preparing dirty bombs that would spread radioactive materials, the statement noted that the three countries reject this news as false claims by Russia.

The statement also included a part on strengthening the supply chain among the three countries.