US, South Korea, Japan call for ‘complete denuclearisation’ of North Korea
The joint statement comes as US President Donald Trump seeks a new meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The United States, South Korea and Japan have reiterated their longstanding call for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, a move Pyongyang has repeatedly ruled out.
The three countries addressed the issue on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) meeting in the US city of Atlanta on Thursday, with their top diplomats reaffirming their “resolute commitment to the complete denuclearisation” of North Korea, according to a readout by the US Department of State.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi also pledged the “full implementation” of United Nations Security Council resolutions, including a ban on supporting revenue for North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
More recently, he has played down concerns about North Korea’s nuclear programme and expressed a desire to meet Kim again. Speculation is mounting that the two leaders could reconnect at next month’s APEC summit in China, which Trump is due to attend.