US, Japan, South Korea agree to 'take strong action' against North Korea

(Baonghean.vn) - The US, Japan and South Korea agreed on October 27 to cooperate to impose additional sanctions on North Korea due to Pyongyang's fifth nuclear test last month, as well as the possibility of coordinating to deal with the country's military provocations.

Deputy foreign ministers of the US, Japan and South Korea attended a trilateral meeting in Tokyo on October 27. Photo: AP.

Speaking to reporters, Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama stated: "We reaffirm the need to increase pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile development program and move towards denuclearization on the Korean peninsula."

Mr. Sugiyama made the above statement after a three-way meeting in Tokyo with South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam and his US counterpart Tony Blinken. At the meeting, the sides also carefully considered the possibility of adopting their own sanctions against Pyongyang.

Tensions have been high on the Korean peninsula this year after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, followed by a satellite launch, a string of missile tests, and its fifth nuclear test last month, all in defiance of international sanctions.

Russia and China, North Korea's close allies, are pushing to restart six-party talks involving the US, Japan, South Korea and North Korea on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, which have been suspended since 2008.

Also related to the talks on North Korea's nuclear issue, South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam said the government has decided to resume talks with Japan on the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) to share information on North Korea's nuclear and missile activities.

In 2012, Tokyo and Seoul came close to signing the agreement, but canceled it at the last minute due to protests from South Koreans related to Japan's occupation of the Korean Peninsula before and during World War II.

Thanh Huyen

(According to Reuters)