US stresses allied cooperation in face of N Korea threats

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman met with her counterparts from South Korea and Japan on Wednesday, emphasizing the U.S. commitment to defend its allies and trilateral security cooperation to confront an accelerating nuclear threat from North Korea.

The latest top-level meetings between the countries came as North Korea apparently presses ahead with preparations for its first nuclear test explosion in nearly five years, which U.S. officials say could occur in the coming days.

After a meeting in Seoul, Sherman and the South Korean and Japanese vice foreign ministers issued a joint statement condemning North Korea's provocative streak in weapons demonstrations this year and pledging closer security cooperation to curb the growing threats.

The statement said Sherman reaffirmed "steadfast" U.S. commitments to the defense of South Korea and Japan, including "extended deterrence," referring to an assurance to defend its allies with its full military capabilities, including nuclear.

"The United States, the Republic of Korea and Japan are fully and closely aligned on the DPRK," Sherman said in a news conference, using the initials of North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Sherman noted that North Korea since last September has significantly increased the pace and scale of its ballistic launches, posing a "serious threat" to security in the region and beyond, and urged Pyongyang to cease taking "these provocative and destabilizing actions and to commit to the path of diplomacy."

Jolting an old pattern of brinkmanship, North Korea has already set an annual record in ballistic launches through the first six months of 2022, firing 31 missiles over 18 test events, including its first...

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