(Image courtesy: X/@FMChoHyun)
Gyeongju, Oct 29 (IANS) The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan had a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering Wednesday, reversing an earlier cancellation, the South Korean foreign ministry said.
The ministry announced hours earlier that the planned meeting between South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi had been cancelled due to scheduling matters, Yonhap News Agency reported.
But they decided to have the meeting in a pull-aside format, the ministry said in a notice to the press.
The three-way talks mark their first since the launch of the new Japanese cabinet led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, elected last week. They also come after the summit talks between President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump.
Lee is expected to hold bilateral talks with Takaichi on Thursday. Trump also had his first one-on-one meeting with the new Japanese leader in Tokyo before he headed to Korea for the APEC events.
The top diplomats were expected to use Wednesday's meeting to reaffirm their continued commitment to advancing their trilateral cooperation even after the leadership change in Japan and despite the US tariff pressure.
Questions have arisen over whether the trilateral cooperation framework, established under their preceding governments, would maintain momentum since Trump began his second term with a drive for the "America First" policy and aggressive tariffs on the US' two key Asian allies and others.
The outlook for relations between South Korean and Japan has become uncertain with the election of the first female leader, who is known for her hardline stance on issues stemming from Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
The three sides are also expected to discuss North Korean issues, as Pyongyang continues its missile launches while remaining unresponsive to Trump's repeated overtures.
The North's state media said Wednesday it test-fired sea-to-surface strategic cruise missiles into the Yellow Sea the previous day, a provocation that came ahead of Trump's visit to South Korea for the APEC event.
Last week, the North said it conducted a test launch of what it claimed were two hypersonic projectiles that successfully hit the target points.
North Korea's evolving crypto thefts are also likely to be among the agenda items.
A trilateral meeting among Lee, Trump and Takaichi is unlikely to take place during this week's APEC forum, according to diplomatic sources.
--IANS
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