The top national security advisors of the United States, Japan and South Korea held a three-way call to discuss Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the White House said Thursday.
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan agreed with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts, Takeo Akiba and Cho Tae Yong, respectively, that any arms exports from North Korea to Russia would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions that Moscow itself had voted to adopt, the White House said.
According to the Japanese government, the three officials shared "serious concern" during their conversation on Thursday that the summit at a rocket launch facility in Russia's Far East could lead to transfers of weapons and related equipment between Moscow and Pyongyang.
On Wednesday, Kim pledged his support for Putin, who in return suggested boosting military cooperation, including helping North Korea develop missile technologies.
Sullivan, Akiba and Cho also reaffirmed their cooperation toward the complete denuclearization of North Korea, according to the White House and the Japanese government.
The call was made in line with the countries' recent commitment to engage in high-level three-way consultation in the event of special circumstances.
Last month, U.S. President Joe Biden hosted a trilateral summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, where the leaders made the commitment as one of the key steps in bringing the three countries' cooperation to a new level.
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