After Pyongyang began the year with a series of missile tests, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts in Hawaii on Saturday to discuss the threat presented by nuclear-armed North Korea.
North Korea was “in a phase of provocation,” Blinken said after the meeting, and the three countries condemned the recent missile launches.
After conversations with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, Blinken remarked, “We are fully aligned in our approach, in our determination.”
He said the countries were “extremely closely conferring” on possible next steps in response to North Korea, but he didn’t say what those steps may be.
In a joint statement, the three urged North Korea to engage in talks and stop its “illegal activities.” They stated that they had no aggressive intentions toward North Korea and that they were willing to meet Pyongyang without conditions.
Later, Hayashi told Japanese media that the three ministers had a “very good” conversation about the North. He remained tight-lipped about any extra measures they might take.
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