US, Japan & South Korea slam North Korea's 'dangerous ties' with Russia, agree to form Trilateral Secretariat

The leaders from the United States, South Korea and Japan slammed North Korea’s ‘dangerous ties’ with Russia as they held a joint press conference to denounce the military cooperation between the two nations. The comments from the three countries came on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) which is currently being held in Lima, Peru.

“We’ve now reached a moment of significant political change,” US President Joe Biden told the reporters on Friday, Nikkei Asia reported. He went on to tout the bond between the three nations as a major part of his legacy. The APEC Summit is seen as a farewell international event to Biden, who will be leaving office in January 2025.

“This is likely to be my last trilateral meeting with this important group, but I’m proud to have helped be one of the parts of building this partnership, and I think it’s built to last. That’s my hope and expectation," the POTUS furthered. Biden will be replaced by President-elect Donald Trump who won the 2024 race against US Vice President Kamala Harris.

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Japan, US and South Korea agree to form Trilateral Secretariat

During their meeting on Friday, the three nations agreed to establish a Trilateral Secretariat, formalizing the partnership to strengthen cooperation in Asia. The trilateral coordination office will be responsible for coordinating security pacts and ensure that the three nations implement their commitments.

Following the announcement of the initiative, Biden emphasised that the alliance would be pivotal to “countering North Korea’s dangerous and destabilizing cooperation with Russia." Meanwhile, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol echoed the same sentiments, raising concerns about Pyongyang’s growing presence in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

“As we can see from the recent deployment of DPRK troops to Russia, the challenging security environment within and outside the region once again reminds us of the importance of our trilateral cooperation,” Yoon said. He and Biden were joined by Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba who took office in October.

“Japan, the ROK [South Korea] and the United States strongly condemn the decisions by the leaders of the DPRK and Russia to dangerously expand Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,” read the joint statement which was released on Friday. “Deepening military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia, including munitions and ballistic missile transfers, is particularly egregious given Russia’s status as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council," the statement further reads.

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Trump’s advent might threaten the alliance

While the three nations are bolstering their ties, Trump’s impending return to the White House for a second term has raised questions about the US’s continued commitment to Ukraine’s defence. Not only this but there has been growing resistance when it comes to providing military aid to Ukraine in the US Congress, particularly among Republicans.

Last year, for instance, Republican Senator Josh Hawley called for pulling US funds altogether. “Any funding for Ukraine should be redirected to Israel immediately," Hawley said. Meanwhile, Trump is also known for his close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

After the Republican’s victory in the November 5 presidential election, a former adviser to the president-elect told BBC that the president-elect would be willing to sacrifice Ukrainian territory in the name of ending the conflict.

“If [Ukrainian] President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy comes to the table and says, ‘Well, we can only have peace if we have Crimea,’ he shows to us that he’s not serious,” the former adviser, Bryan Lanza, said. “Crimea is gone," he remarked. However, the Trump’s transition team has distanced itself from such claims.

With inputs from agencies.