US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kane: "Unprecedented Military Build-up by North Korea and China, Importance of Trilateral Cooperation between South Korea, the US, and Japan" (Comprehensive)

[Financial News] US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Kane emphasized the importance of allied responsibility in response to the expansion of the joint threat from North Korea to China. The South Korea-US-Japan Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting was held in Tokyo, Japan last year, and this is the first time it has been held in South Korea.
On the 11th, the Ministry of National Defense reported that at the South Korea-US-Japan Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting (Tri-CHOD) attended by Chairman Kim Myung-soo, Chairman Kane, and Japan's Chief of Staff Yoshida Yoshihide, the three countries assessed the regional security environment, including North Korea's military threats, and discussed ways to strengthen trilateral security cooperation.
Chairman Kane pointed out in his opening remarks at the South Korea-US-Japan Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting held at the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, that "currently, North Korea and China are pursuing an unprecedented level of military build-up, and this has a clear and obvious intent."
He continued, "The position of the United States is clear. We are focused on rebuilding deterrence, and for this, trilateral cooperation between South Korea, the US, and Japan is essential," emphasizing that "the three countries must combine their combat capabilities and be able to fight and win together even tonight."
This is interpreted as a message from the US for South Korea and Japan to join in the counter-China containment against military threats similar to those posed by North Korea.
Chairman Kane also mentioned the first meeting of the South Korea-US-Japan Joint Chiefs of Staff in Hawaii in 2014, introducing that then-US Chairman Dempsey spoke about everything from 'capacity building' to 'genuine responsibility sharing' among the three countries.
Chairman Kim emphasized, "The fact that the meeting is held in South Korea as part of a rotation among the three countries itself shows that South Korea-US-Japan security cooperation is being stably established in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world," and "I hope that today's meeting will further strengthen and develop the security cooperation of South Korea, the US, and Japan in a future-oriented manner."
Chairman Kim evaluated, "Especially, the visit of Japan's Chief of Staff to South Korea for the first time in 15 years on the occasion of this meeting signifies that South Korea-US-Japan security cooperation has become much more mature and solid than before."
He also stated, "In a situation where North Korea's nuclear and missile threats are escalating and regional security challenges persist, it is very important to maintain and continuously develop the momentum of trilateral security cooperation between South Korea, the US, and Japan."
Chief of Staff Yoshida said he would strive to achieve three objectives: institutionalizing trilateral cooperation that develops without being swayed by political situations, strengthening the cohesion of South Korea-US-Japan to enhance deterrence against North Korea, and ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region where complex threats and uncertainties persist.





wangjylee@fnnews.com Reporter Lee Jong-yun