President Yun Seok-yeol, the heads of four NATO Asia-Pacific Partners, and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg pose for a commemorative photo at the NATO Summit held at the IFEMA in Madrid, Spain on the 29th. From left, Secretary-General Stoltenberg, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Norman Albanage, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and President Yoon. /Madrid = Reporter Kim Beom-jun “/>
President Yun Seok-yeol, the heads of four NATO Asia-Pacific Partners, and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg pose for a commemorative photo at the NATO Summit held at the IFEMA in Madrid, Spain on the 29th. From left, Secretary-General Stoltenberg, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Norman Albanage, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and President Yoon. / Madrid = Reporter Kim Beom-jun
The fact that South Korea, the United States, and Japan held a summit in Madrid, Spain, where the NATO summit was held on the 29th (local time), is meaningful in that it has expanded the trilateral cooperation on the North Korean nuclear threat to European allies. have. It is evaluated that the diplomatic and trade strategy of the Yun Seok-yeol administration to expand security and economic alliances in the wake of the “G2” conflict between the United States and China and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was reflected. It is also considered an achievement to open the door to improving Korea-Japan relations through three meetings with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
South Korea, the US, and Japan to cooperate in deterring nuclear expansion
The most important agenda of the trilateral summit held by President Yoon Seok-yeol, US President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida at the IFEMA in Madrid on the same day was a plan for cooperation on North Korea’s nuclear threat and missile provocation. In the remarks reported on live broadcast, the three leaders emphasized cooperation with North Korea with one voice.
“Trilateral cooperation is essential to achieve the common goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” Biden said. Prime Minister Kishida stressed that in the event of a nuclear test, South Korea, the US, and Japan will respond together through joint exercises.
In a press release after the meeting, the presidential office said, “The three leaders shared the view that North Korea’s continued progress in its nuclear and missile programs poses a serious threat not only to the Korean Peninsula but also to the international community.” “We decided to hold close consultations on ways to raise the level of security cooperation between the three countries to respond,” he said.
In response to North Korea’s tactical nuclear weapons threat, it means strengthening an extended deterrence strategy that provides US nuclear deterrence to its allies. It is in line with the contents of the joint statement during the South Korea-US summit last month, which “confirmed the United States’ commitment to extended deterrence to use all available defense capabilities, including nuclear, conventional and missile defense capabilities.” However, during the meeting, President Yoon suggested that the three countries continue to work closely together so that North Korea can return to the dialogue table. It did not close the possibility of dialogue.
The trilateral summit drew attention in that it was held separately at the meeting place of the heads of 30 NATO member states. It is evaluated that it conveyed a message to the international community that it is expanding cooperation on the North Korean nuclear crisis to major European allies. President Yoon emphasized the need for cooperation on the North Korean nuclear program at the NATO summit held immediately following the Korea-US-Japan summit. It is the first time for a South Korean president to speak in front of the heads of 30 NATO member states.
The US-led strengthening of the alliance is causing a backlash from China. The World Times, a sister newspaper of the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China, criticized South Korea and Japan’s participation in the NATO summit on the same day, using expressions such as ‘to worsen relations with China’ and ‘to pay a price’. Prime Minister Kishida announced on the same day that he would fundamentally strengthen Japan’s defense capabilities to strengthen the Korea-US-Japan alliance. Kang Joon-young, director of the Center for International and Regional Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, said, “The US-led NATO invitation of South Korea and Japan is in fact to contain China. will be,” he said.
Is Korea-Japan relations improving?
It is evaluated that the new government’s diplomatic achievements laid the foundation for improving relations with Japan. On the night of the 28th, President Yun and Prime Minister Kishida talked for about four minutes at a welcome gala dinner hosted by King Felipe VI of Spain. When President Yoon said, “After the (Japan) House of Representatives (Senate) elections are over, I am planning to move forward in a future-oriented way by resolving issues between Korea and Japan as soon as possible. Let’s try to make it happen.”
A meeting between the heads of the four Asia-Pacific inviting countries of Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, whose schedule was initially unclear, was also held on the same day. Including the Korea-US-Japan summit, President Yun and Prime Minister Kishida had three official and informal meetings over two days. On the same day, when asked about his first impression of Prime Minister Kishida, President Yoon said, “I am confident that we can become a partner who can solve current issues between Korea and Japan and develop bilateral relations for the common good of the two countries in the future.” . Prime Minister Kishida also said, “I would like to thank President Yoon for his support for the prompt resolution of the abduction issue.”
President Yoon also started economic diplomacy. President Yoon held bilateral talks with the leaders of the Netherlands, Poland, France, Canada, Romania, and Denmark on the same day and started sales diplomacy in earnest.
Madrid = Reporter Dong-wook Jwa / Dong-hyun Kim [email protected]