The U.S. State Department announced on Thursday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who visited South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, met with the foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan. They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trilateral cooperation on technology and supply chains, as well as the complete denuclearization of North Korea.
In a press release issued by Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Vietor, the State Department reported that Secretary Rubio met with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi during the APEC summit meetings held in Gyeongju on Wednesday.
The State Department emphasized that deeper trilateral cooperation would enhance trusted economic leadership in the Indo-Pacific region, provide tangible benefits to their shared economic well-being, and contribute to the safety, security, and prosperity of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The State Department also noted that Secretary Rubio and the foreign ministers reaffirmed the joint statement issued during the trilateral meeting on September 22. They reiterated the outcomes from President Donald Trump’s visits to Japan and South Korea, particularly regarding emerging technologies and the resilience of critical mineral supply chains.
On security matters, they welcomed the recent significant progress in trilateral cooperation. The officials reiterated their commitment to pursuing North Korea’s complete denuclearization and maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and diplomacy.
Vietor mentioned that Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Motegi congratulated Minister Park on South Korea’s successful chairmanship of APEC this year. They agreed to maintain close cooperation during the APEC meetings in 2026 when China assumes the chairmanship.
Secretary Rubio accompanied President Donald Trump during his visit to South Korea from Wednesday to Thursday. This trilateral meeting coincided with key diplomatic events, including the U.S.-South Korea summit.