Foreign Minister Iwaya Meets Counterparts from U.S., South Korea; Discussions Center on Russia, North Korea, China

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:09 JST, November 15, 2024

Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya shared serious concerns over the progress of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, including North Korean soldiers being dispatched to Russia, in separate meetings with his U.S. and South Korean counterparts Thursday in Lima.

It was Iwaya’s first meeting with either U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken or South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul.

In his meeting with Blinken, Iwaya said he hoped their countries would “further deepen their cooperation as global partners to uphold and bolster a free and open international order based on the rule of law.”

Blinken affirmed the importance of the U.S.-Japan alliance as the cornerstone of security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, one that has evolved into a truly global partnership.

They also discussed China’s growing hegemonic movements, North Korea’s nuclear weapon and missile development and the situation in Ukraine. They then agreed to beef up the alliance’s deterrence and response capabilities and further cooperate with like-minded countries.

With an eye toward the upcoming change of administration in the United States, the two officials affirmed the importance of continuing the trilateral cooperation between Japan, the United States and South Korea.

At the meeting with the South Korean foreign minister, Iwaya and Cho agreed to work closely to elevate bilateral relations to new heights towards the next year, which will mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral relations.