South Korea’s Yoon calls for greater co-operation with China, Japan

SEOUL — South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Saturday proposed a mechanism for three-way dialog with China and Japan including a leadership summit to address issues such as security and climate change.

At a summit of leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China, Japan and South Korea, Yoon urged stronger joint efforts to overcome complex future crises, such as those stemming from war and rights abuses as well as risks to security of food and energy brought by climate change.

Yoon also said North Korea’s series of provocations and attempts to boost its nuclear and missile capabilities were a serious threat to the international community.

He stressed that if North Korea launched another intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and conducted its seventh nuclear test, the international community should respond with one voice, the presidential office said in a statement.

At the same time, South Korea would seek economic support for North Korea if it decided to denuclearise.

ASEAN leaders expressed concern over North Korea’s nuclear program, which defies international and United Nations norms, calling for Pyongyang to stop threatening regional peace and respond to denuclearisation talks, the South Korean presidential office said.

Yoon is expected to hold a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Sunday in Phnom Penh on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, Yonhap news agency reported citing South Korea’s presidential office.

He will also hold a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden as well as a trilateral summit with Biden and Kishida on Sunday. (Reporting by Joyce Lee and Minwoo Park; Editing by Stephen Coates)