1. On October 18, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met with Vice Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama of Japan, who was on a visit to the Republic of Korea for the seventh ROK-US-Japan vice foreign ministerial meeting, and exchanged views with him on the ROK-Japan relations as well as nuclear and other issues of North Korea.

※ The Japanese Vice Foreign Minister visited the ROK on October 18 for the first ROK-US-Japan vice foreign ministerial meeting and the first ROK-Japan vice foreign ministerial meeting since the launch of the Moon Jae-in government.

2. Minister Kang noted with appreciation that robust exchanges on the summit and other high levels since the launch of the Moon government have helped build positive momentum for improvements in ROK-Japan relations. On that note, she suggested that based on such achievement, the two countries work together to develop their relations into a future-oriented partnership.

° Vice Minister Sugiyama responded that the Japanese government, on its part, will do its utmost to advance the bilateral ties in a future-oriented manner.

3. Minister Kang, taking note of the close ROK-US-Japan coordination in responding to nuclear and other issues of North Korea, stressed that in order to keep the situation on the Korean Peninsula stable and to achieve the goal of a peaceful and complete denuclearization of North Korea, the ROK, the US and Japan should make the full range of diplomatic efforts, including enforcing sanctions and holding dialogue.

° Vice Minister Sugiyama, sharing the Minister’s view on the importance of close ROK-US-Japan coordination in responding to growing nuclear threats from North Korea, suggested that the three countries continue strategic communication and cooperation with one another.

4. Minister Kang voiced hope that the first ROK-US-Japan vice foreign ministerial meeting and the first ROK-Japan vice foreign ministerial meeting to come since the launch of the Moon Jae-in government will serve as an opportunity to extensively discuss ways that the three countries can work together on nuclear and other issues of North Korea, among others.


* unofficial translation