North Korea: US, Japan, South Korea to meet for talks on nuclear stand-off

South Korea’s foreign ministry confirmed the talks will take place in Tokyo and also cover cooperation between the three countries

The Biden administration has said it will explore diplomacy to achieve North Korean denuclearisation, but has shown no willingness to ease sanctions

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waves to the crowd during a military parade at Kim Il-sung Square to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the country's founding. Photo: KCNA/DPA

Published: 9:49am, 11 Sep 2021Updated: 9:13pm, 11 Sep 2021

Officials from the United States, South Korea and Japan will hold a meeting on North Korea next week in Tokyo, South Korea’s foreign ministry confirmed on Friday.

The three countries have been discussing ways to break a stand-off with North Korea over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, which have drawn international sanctions.

Noh Kyu-duk, Seoul’s special representative for Korean peninsula peace and security affairs, will travel to Japan on Sunday for a three-day visit, the ministry said in a statement.

While there, he will meet US envoy for North Korea Sung Kim, and Takehiro Funakoshi, director general of the Japanese foreign ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau.

The officials will discuss the North Korean nuclear issue as well as cooperation between their countries, Seoul said.

“The three countries are expected to have in-depth discussions on ways to promote cooperation to stably manage the situation of the Korean peninsula and resume the peninsula peace process at an early date,” the ministry said.