Biden Invites Kishida, Yoon to Meet in Washington

Reuters

15:30 JST, May 22, 2023

HIROSHIMA (Reuters) — U.S. President Joe Biden invited his Japanese and South Korean counterparts for another meeting in Washington, following on from their trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit, a senior U.S. official said.

“The leaders discussed how to take their trilateral cooperation to new heights,” including with new coordination in the face of North Korea’s “illicit nuclear and missile threats,” the White House said in a statement issued after the meeting in Hiroshima on Sunday.

They also discussed cooperation in sharing North Korea’s missile data in real time, according to a statement by Japan’s Foreign Ministry.

Their discussions also touched on the Indo-Pacific, economic security and engagement with the Pacific Islands, according to the statement.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met bilaterally earlier in the day, their third meeting this year, as the East Asian neighbors improve ties to counter regional security threats.

Biden commended Kishida and Yoon on their “courageous work to improve their bilateral ties,” saying the trilateral partnership is stronger because of their efforts, the White House said.