U.S., South Korea, Japan vow to counter North Korea’s nuclear threat in first talks since Trump’s return

The foreign ministers of the United States, South Korea, and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to the “complete denuclearization” of North Korea in their first meeting since Donald Trump returned to the White House.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, emphasizing their “steadfast trilateral cooperation,” according to a joint statement issued by the U.S. State Department.

The ministers voiced “deep concern over North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, as well as its malicious activities, including cryptocurrency theft and increasing military cooperation with Russia.” They warned they would “not tolerate any provocations or threats” against their territories.

Seoul, Kyiv, and Washington allege that since October 2024, North Korea has deployed approximately 11,000 troops to Russia’s Kursk region to aid Moscow’s efforts to reclaim Ukrainian-controlled areas following a surprise cross-border assault last August.

While Kyiv initially reported in late January that North Korean forces had withdrawn from the front lines, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on February 7 that North Korean troops were once again fighting alongside Russian forces in Kursk.

North Korea reiterated last month that it would continue its nuclear program “indefinitely,” citing perceived threats from the U.S. and its allies, including South Korea.

Trump, who met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un three times during his previous term, recently stated in an interview that he intends to reestablish communication with Kim, whom he called a “smart guy.”