The US, South Korea, and Japan met on Wednesday to reaffirm their trilateral security cooperation against North Korea's "weapons of mass destruction and missile programs," according to a same-day release issued by Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby.
Attendees included US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, South Korean Minister of National Defense Duh Wook and Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi.
During the meeting, leaders discussed the DPRK's recent series of ballistic missile tests, including the record seven launches observed in January. The Pentagon memo detailed that the launches have not only destabilized regional security, but also come as "a clear violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions."
The group plans to hold an in-person Trilateral Defense Ministerial to "close trilateral coordination in the face of the DPRK's missile launches." No date has been set for the meeting.
"The U.S. commitment to the defense of Japan and the ROK is ironclad," the Pentagon proclaimed.
The Pentagon's vague issuance comes hours after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian called on the US to cease imposing sanctions and pressure on the DPRK and its people.
"It should give due importance to the denuclearisation measures taken by Pyongyang, respond to the legitimate and fair concerns of the DPRK, and take measures to ease sanctions on North Korea," Zhao said on Wednesday.
Washington and Seoul officials have expressed fears about Pyongyang's Hwasong-12 launch on January 30, arguing that it could serve as a precursor to the DPRK resuming tests of its intercontinental ballistic missiles or nuclear weapons.