Korea, U.S., Japan get together at TCOG talks

South Korea, the United States and Japan agreed on the importance of the trilateral partnership among the three countries in achieving peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and inducing North Korea to open up to the outside world.

The three governments released a joint press statement at the end of the conference of the Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group (TCOG), a three-way body aimed at coordinating policies toward North Korea, which was held Friday at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security. In the statement, the governments reaffirmed the need for a concerted approach to North Korea by means of sustained inter-Korean dialogue, continued and substantial reduction of tensions on the peninsula and continued implementation of the Geneva Framework agreement. These efforts are required to promote stability on the Korean Peninsula and a durable peace here, it said. They emphasized the importance of continuing consultation and coordination among the three nations in the interest of broader dialogue between North Korea and countries surrounding the Korean Peninsula.

Welcoming the second inter-Korean ministerial meeting, which took place in Pyongyang this week, the statement expressed the hope that regular dialogue initiated by the inter-Korean summit in June would be extended and made effective. It also approved highly of the reunions of separated families on both sides of the Korean demarcation line, and desired increased communication and exchange visits in the future.

Korea, the United States and Japan were represented by Jang Jai-Ryong, assistant deputy secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, U.S. Wendy Sherman, State Department Counselor and Yukio Takeuchi, the director of the Japanese Foreign Ministry`s foreign policy bureau, respectively.