1. During his visit to Singapore for a Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue (NEACD) from July 10 till 12, Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim Hong-kyun attended on July 11 a trilateral meeting with the US and Japanese head delegates to the Six-Party Talks -- Special Representative for North Korea Policy Joseph Yun of the US Department of State and Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Kenji Kanasugi of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, respectively.

2. The top nuclear negotiators of the three countries concurred in the timeliness of the meeting among them, the first of its kind since the launch of the new government in the Republic of Korea, that came on the heels of the trilateral dinner among their leaders held on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg on July 6.

° In particular, the head delegates shared the view that the ROK-US-Japan joint statement adopted at the trilateral summit talks reflects the firm commitment of the three leaders to peacefully resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, attaching significance to the meeting among the head delegates themselves as a good opportunity to seek more specific ways for the three countries to coordinate with one another on the issue.

3. Based on this shared view, the three head delegates discussed in depth specific ways to lead North Korea onto the path toward denuclearization. Among the ways reviewed were enforcing tougher sanctions and intensifying pressure on the North in order to block it from advancing its nuclear and missile capabilities; inducing China and Russia to continuously play constructive roles; and holding dialogue with the North under the right circumstances.

4. The top nuclear negotiators of the ROK, the US and Japan, calling North Korea’s launch of a ballistic missile on July 4 a grave provocation that demonstrates significant progress in the North’s missile capability, agreed to respond sternly to it together with the international community by inducing the UN Security Council to adopt a new sanctions resolution and take other strong measures, and the international community to thoroughly implement the existing Security Council resolutions.

5. In addition, the three head delegates, reaffirming the paramount importance of cooperation with China and Russia in order to see effect from pressure on North Korea, agreed to continue strategic communication with China and Russia, while maintaining close coordination among their three countries.

6. Special Representative Kim Hong-kyun shared with his US and Japanese counterparts the ROK government’s plan to use sanctions, dialogue and all other means in a phasal and comprehensive approach. The three head delegates to the Six-Party Talks agreed to remain highly cooperative with one another in order to achieve their shared goal of the denuclearization of North Korea. Furthermore, the three sides, reaffirming their willingness to hold dialogue with the North under the right circumstances, agreed to make efforts to lead the North onto the path toward a sincere and constructive denuclearization.


* unofficial translation