Deputy Secretary Sherman's Call with Republic of Korea First Vice Foreign Minister Cho and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman held a trilateral call today with Republic of Korea (ROK) First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori Takeo to discuss the DPRK's November 18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch. The Deputy Secretary and Vice Ministers strongly condemned the unlawful ICBM launch for its destabilizing effect on the region and the world, noting that it was only the latest in a series of ballistic missile launches and use of aggressive rhetoric by the DPRK that have escalated tensions.

Deputy Secretary Sherman and Vice Ministers Cho and Mori reaffirmed the importance of trilateral cooperation among the United States, the ROK, and Japan in responding to the DPRK's unlawful and increasingly dangerous behavior. The Deputy Secretary reaffirmed the ironclad U.S. commitments to the defense of the ROK and Japan, and stressed the need for the international community to stand together in holding the DPRK accountable for its continued and brazen violations of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. She also called on the DPRK to cease its unlawful and destabilizing behavior and instead engage in sustained and sincere dialogue.