Top diplomats of U.S., Japan discuss concerns over N. Korea’s security alignment with Russia: State Dept.


By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 (Yonhap) — The top diplomats of the United States and Japan discussed concerns Tuesday over North Korea’s military alignment with Russia and joint efforts to counter threats in the Indo-Pacific and beyond during a meeting in Washington, the State Department said.

New U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya hours after Rubio took office, reiterating his commitment to President Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy agenda.

“They discussed plans to deepen ties during the Trump administration, and how the United States and Japan can work together to counter ongoing threats in the Indo-Pacific and around the world, including joint efforts against China’s destabilizing actions,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a readout.

“The two also discussed concerns over both the DPRK’s political and security alignment with Russia, as well as China’s support for Russia’s defense industrial base,” she added. DPRK is short for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Rubio underscored the “enduring” U.S. commitment to the U.S.-Japan alliance as the “cornerstone of security and prosperity” in the region, according to Bruce.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) meets with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya at the State Department in Washington on Jan. 21, 2025, in this photo released by AFP. (Yonhap)

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) meets with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya at the State Department in Washington on Jan. 21, 2025, in this photo released by AFP. (Yonhap)

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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