(Phnom Penh) The United States, Japan and South Korea on Sunday promised a “strong and firm” response in the event of a North Korean nuclear test, the first since 2017, a hypothesis that returned to the news after a Pyongyang’s record series of weapons tests.
Posted yesterday at 11:33 a.m.
The leaders of the three countries issued a joint statement after their trilateral meeting in Phnom Penh, with US President Joe Biden pledging to deploy “the full range of capabilities, including nuclear” to defend his allies.
Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who met on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Phnom Penh, “reaffirm that a nuclear test by North Korea will be followed by a strong and firm response from the international community. »
President Biden met with Japanese and South Korean leaders on the eve of a crucial meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he is expected to ask to exert influence on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to rein him in. .
The three countries “will work together to strengthen their deterrent force”, it is written.
“President Biden reaffirmed that the United States’ commitment to defending Japan and the Republic of Korea (South Korea’s official name, editor’s note) is unwavering and supported by a wide range of capabilities, including nuclear” , according to the press release.
The rapprochement between the three countries, “at an unprecedented level”, comes after North Korea carried out a flurry of launches in early November, including that of a ballistic missile which fell near South Korea’s territorial waters .
Another North Korean ballistic missile flew over Japan in October.
Pyongyang justified its actions by the “aggressive and provocative” attitude of Seoul and Washington, which operated at the same time the largest military air maneuvers ever carried out between them.
Seoul and Washington have been warning for months that Pyongyang is ready to carry out another nuclear test at any time, which would be the seventh in its history.
The joint statement stresses that “the path to dialogue remains open”, calling on North Korea to return to the negotiating table.
Biden-Xi meeting
Joe Biden is to meet Monday in Bali, on the sidelines of the G20, his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, with the particular intention of asking him to dissuade Pyongyang from going further.
China is Pyongyang’s main ally and US officials say that while Mr Biden will not make demands, he will warn Mr Xi that continuing the missile and nuclear program would mean the US will increase its presence military in the region, which Beijing fiercely opposes.
Kim Jong-un met three times with President Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump but no lasting agreement could be reached.
US officials say North Korea has shown no interest in talks and privately some believe it may be in one of its periodic escalation phases right now and the only solution is to expect.
In their joint statement, entitled “Phnom Penh Declaration”, the three leaders pledged to work together to strengthen their deterrent force.
“Leaders intend to share data on North Korea’s missile launches in real time to improve each country’s ability to detect and assess the threat posed by incoming missiles,” the statement said.
“North Korea poses a threat not only to the United States, not only to (South Korea) and Japan but also to peace and stability in the entire region,” the US adviser told reporters. to National Security Jake Sullivan.