(VOVWORLD) - The leaders of the United States, South Korea and Japan on Friday released a joint statement on Russia-Ukraine conflict, Korean Peninsula and other major global issues on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Week in Lima, Peru.
The statement condemned violations of multiple United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions by North Korea and Russia, especially in light of Pyongyang’s decision to deploy troops to Russia.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, consistent with UNSC resolutions. They also highlighted the importance of maintaining peace and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific region and reaffirmed their support for ASEAN centrality and unity and for the ASEAN-led regional architecture.
Japan, South Korea, and the US strongly opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the waters of the Indo-Pacific while recognizing the importance of opposing unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnam).
They also expressed support for the global maritime order, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, based on international law, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.