September 2023

The three leaders on Aug. 18 hold a joint press conference at Camp David in Maryland. ⓒ Office of the President

Current Korea

A Breakthrough in Korea-U.S.-Japan Ties

On Aug. 18, President Yoon Suk Yeol traveled to Camp David in Maryland, the U.S. to have talks with the leaders of the U.S. and Japan. The three countries’ first standalone trilateral summit hailed a “new era” of their trilateral partnership.

Written by Sohn Ji-ae, contributing writer

Camp David, the presidential retreat nestled in the mountains of Maryland in the U.S., became a backdrop for a historic moment for trilateral partnership among Korea, the U.S. and Japan. It was the first time that U.S. President Joe Biden chose the secluded retreat for hosting foreign leaders, instead of the White House. Biden said that Camp David symbolizes the “power of new beginnings and new possibilities.” The site ushered in a new beginning of trilateral partnership among the three countries, indeed. On Aug. 18, the leaders of the three allies at necktie-free talks made agreements that would open a new chapter in trilateral alliance, bringing their security and economic ties to a whole new level at a time of increasing concerns about North Korea’s persistent nuclear threats and China’s provocations in the Pacific

Camp David Principles

The three leaders announced “Camp David Principles”, taking groundbreaking steps toward a three-way military and economic partnership.
First, the three countries committed to consult promptly with each other during crises and to coordinate responses to regional challenges, provocations and threats affecting common interests. They also pledged to hold trilateral military training exercises annually and to operationalize their sharing of real-time missile warning data on North Korea missile launches by the end of 2023. The agreements are intended to acknowledge that the three allies share fundamentally interlinked security environments and that a threat to one of the nations is “a threat to all.”
In addition, the leaders decided to meet in-person at least annually to build on the momentum of the Camp David Summit. At these meetings, the three will share assessments on a range of geostrategic issues and discuss opportunities for further trilateral cooperation.
Even as they deepen their security partnership, the three will also build robust cooperation in the economic security and technology pheres. To this end, they decided to cooperate trilaterally on supply chain resilience, particularly on semiconductors and batteries and energy security. They agreed to launch a pilot early warning system (EWS) to rapidly share information on possible disruptions to crucial supply chains.

Next Era of Trilateral Partnership

A shared concern over China’s aggressive actions in the region and North Korea’s growing missile arsenal has fueled a historic rapprochement that is ushering in a new era for the three countries.
The unprecedented moves unfolded at Camp David reflect a dramatic improvement in relations between Seoul and Tokyo after years of strained ties stemming from Japan’s colonial occupation of Korea.
The joint statement said that the three leaders departed Camp David with a shared resolve and optimism for the future, and a new chapter in their trilateral relationship has begun. “We are aligned in our vision, undaunted in the face of our era’s greatest challenges, and, most of all, united in our belief that the three countries can meet those challenges together, now and in the future.”
“Today will be remembered as a historic day, where we established a firm institutional basis and commitments to the trilateral partnership,” Yoon said. “Our countries are stronger, and the world will be safer as we stand together,” Biden declared. Kishida echoed the sentiments by saying, “The fact that we, the three leaders, have got together in this way means that we are indeed making a new history as of today. The international community is at a turning point in history.”