Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Repub : ROK Holds Bilateral Vice Foreign Ministerial Meetings with the...

1. On the sidelines of the sixth vice foreign ministerial meeting among the Republic of Korea, the United States and Japan in Washington DC, First Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam met bilaterally with Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken of the US on January 5. In their meeting, the two sides reviewed the progress in cooperation on bilateral issues as well as nuclear and other issues of North Korea. They agreed to make efforts for the ROK-US alliance to remain strong.

° The Vice Minister and the Deputy Secretary noted with appreciation that their two countries had communicated closely with each other at various levels in 2016, including at the summit talks and the foreign and defense ministerial (2+2) meeting. They voiced their expectation that the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG), launched in December 2016, will help further bolster the foundation for security cooperation.

° The Vice Minister and the Deputy Secretary stressed that, given the possibility of North Korea undertaking various forms of provocations in the grave situation at home and abroad, including triggered by the transition in the US government, the ROK and the US should continue enforcing tough sanctions and putting pressure on North Korea, maintain combined defense posture and thereby give the North no other option but to denuclearize itself.

° Vice Minister Lim extended appreciation to Deputy Secretary Blinken for his robust efforts to broaden the horizon of the ROK-US comprehensive strategic alliance beyond the Korean Peninsula to include the rest of the Asia-Pacific region and the global community. He asked the Deputy Secretary to make efforts in the course of the transition in the US government in order for the incumbent administration's foreign policy of prioritizing North Korea's nuclear and other issues and policy line of placing importance on the ROK-US alliance to continue during the tenure of the next US administration.

2. During his visit to the US, Vice Minister Lim also met bilaterally with Vice Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama of Japan on January 5 and exchanged views with him on matters of mutual concern, including the ROK-Japan relations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

° The two Vice Ministers agreed to further step up policy coordination and other forms of cooperation between their two countries, and among them and the US to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats around the time of the transition in the US government. They also exchanged views on other matters of mutual concern, including a thorough implementation of the bilateral agreement on the 'comfort women' issue.

* unofficial translation