South Korea, U.S. and Japan Defense Chiefs Reaffirm Commitment to North Korea’s Denuclearization

On July 15, 2024, South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung met with his U.S. counterpart Gen. Dan Caine and Japanese Joint Staff Chief Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura at the Pentagon for a Trilateral Chiefs of Defense (Tri-Chod) session. The three chiefs issued a joint press release stating they will “continue cooperating toward North Korea's complete denuclearization.” The meeting also reviewed the upcoming Freedom Edge multidomain exercise, which now incorporates air and cyber components alongside naval forces.

South Korea, U.S. and Japan vow continued cooperation on North Korea's denuclearizationSouth Korea, U.S. and Japan defense chiefs meet in Washington on North Korea threats

The July 2024 gathering follows a June 11 Nuclear Consultative Group meeting between South Korea and the United States, where the two nations “reaffirmed their shared goal of North Korea's denuclearization.” Earlier, in July 2025, the chiefs convened in Seoul and condemned Pyongyang’s “illegal nuclear and ballistic missile development programs.” The renewed emphasis reflects growing concern over deepening security ties between North Korea, China and Russia, highlighted by a June 8-9 North Korea-China summit that omitted any reference to the nuclear issue.

South Korea, U.S. and Japan vow continued cooperation on North Korea's denuclearizationSouth Korea, U.S. and Japan defense chiefs meet in Washington on North Korea threats

The joint statement emphasized that “trilateral security cooperation is key to effectively responding to various regional challenges and threats, including North Korean nuclear and missile threats that affect peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific and beyond.” The chiefs agreed to deepen cooperation across domains, advance combined operational capabilities through joint exercises, and maintain the Korea-U.S. alliance as a “linchpin of peace and stability.” They also confirmed that the next Tri-Chod meeting will be held in Japan in 2025.

South Korea, U.S. and Japan vow continued cooperation on North Korea's denuclearization

• “continue cooperating toward North Korea's complete denuclearization,” — Joint press release, Tri-Chod meeting

South Korea, U.S. and Japan vow continued cooperation on North Korea's denuclearization

• “They reaffirmed that trilateral security cooperation is key to effectively responding to various regional challenges and threats, including North Korean nuclear and missile threats that affect peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific and beyond,” — Joint press release

South Korea, U.S. and Japan vow continued cooperation on North Korea's denuclearization

• “reaffirmed their shared goal of North Korea's denuclearization.” — Joint press statement, Nuclear Consultative Group, June 11, 2024

South Korea, U.S. and Japan vow continued cooperation on North Korea's denuclearization

The defense chiefs plan to convene again in Japan in 2025 and will continue to explore ways to sustain momentum in trilateral security cooperation, including further iterations of the Freedom Edge exercise.

South Korea, U.S. and Japan defense chiefs meet in Washington on North Korea threats