WASHINGTON – The United States consulted jointly yesterday with Japan and South Korea, allies often at odds with each other, as President Joe Biden reviews how to move forward on North Korea.
The State Department said Senior US diplomat Sung Kim and his counterparts promised “close cooperation” in a video conference, and “expressed their continued commitment to denuclearisation and the maintenance of peace and stability on the Korean peninsula”.
The Biden administration said it is reviewing how to move forward with North Korea after former president Donald Trump held three splashy meetings with leader Kim Jong-un but failed to reach a lasting deal.
The Trump administration argued that it ended a diplomatic logjam and effectively stopped North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests, although critics said Pyongyang nonetheless advanced on the programmes.
Biden is expected to take a more low-key approach and his administration has pledged to raise concerns over cybersecurity, with the Justice Department on Wednesday charging three North Korean intelligence officials over massive hacks.
Trump had strong relationships with both the Japanese and South Korean leaders, but relations between the two neighbours hit new lows during his presidency in disputes linked to the legacy of Japanese colonial rule. – AFP, February 19, 2021
