A trilateral meeting between the United States, Japan and South Korea will be held in Washington D.C. on June 19 to exchange views on a wide range of issues related to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, it was announced Friday.
In the press release announcing the trilateral meeting, the US State Department said that the event will be hosted by Glyn Davies, the US Special Representative for North Korea Policy.
The South Korean delegation to the trilateral meeting will be headed by Cho Tae-yong, the South Korean Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs.
The Japanese delegation will be headed by Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs Shinsuke Sugiyama.
"These discussions reflect the close cooperation among our three countries and our common interest in ensuring peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," the State Department press release concluded.
The latest developments come amid tensions triggered by a North Korean nuclear test in February, defying previous UN sanctions and resolutions, as well as subsequent threats by Pyongyang to launch nuclear strikes against the US and its allies in the region. The nuclear test had prompted the United Nations Security Council to impose fresh sanctions on North Korea.
Pyongyang responded to UN sanctions by canceling the 1953 Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War, withdrawing its workers from the Kaesong Industrial Complex and unleashing a stream of threats against South Korea and the United States.
Although South Korea recently agreed to an offer by the North to hold high-level talks on reopening the jointly-run Kaesong Industrial Complex as well as other issues contributing to the escalation of tensions, the proposed talks were later suspended by the two nations over disagreement on the composition of their delegations.
The Kaesong Industrial Complex reportedly employs more than 53,000 citizens of the DPRK at 123 South Korean companies. North Korea had suspended operations at the industrial park on April 9, citing "unacceptable provocations against the country's dignity."
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