17 Apr 15. The United States, South Korea and Japan today concluded what a joint statement called a “productive and substantive” two-day security meeting here.

Officials said the meeting was held to enhance trilateral defense cooperation in light of the evolving security environment in the region.

Yoo Jeh-seung, South Korea’s deputy minister for policy, led his country’s delegation. David B. Shear, assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, led the U.S. delegation, and Japan’s delegation was led by Tokuchi Hideshi, vice defense minister for international affairs.

Deterring North Korean Provocations

The officials reaffirmed that their governments will not accept North Korea as a nuclear-armed state, and agreed to closely coordinate to deter North Korean provocations, the joint statement said.

Each side welcomed the cooperation enabled by a document called the “Trilateral Information Sharing Arrangement Concerning the Nuclear and Missile Threats Posed by North Korea,” the statement said, noting that the three countries decided to continue working-level consultations for effective implementation of the arrangement for sharing information on North Korean nuclear and missile threats.

South Korea provided a briefing on a conditions-based approach to the transition of operational control of all forces on the Korean Peninsula to South Korea in wartime, the statement said. The officials of the three countries confirmed that it would contribute to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, the statement added.

Guidelines for U.S. Japan Cooperation

The statement also said the delegations held a “constructive discussion” on the guidelines for U.S.-Japan defense cooperation, which will be revised within the framework of the U.S.-Japan alliance.

“The officials agreed that it is important to promote these initiatives in a manner that contributes to regional peace and stability with transparency and in accordance with international law, including the respect for sovereignty of third countries,” the joint statement said.

In addition, the statement said, the three countries held a productive discussion on cooperative measures for nontraditional security issues, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counterpiracy operations, and efforts to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. (Source: US DoD)