As stated by Spokesperson Ned Price:
Following the DPRK's May 25 (KST) ballistic missile launches, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman held a trilateral call today with Republic of Korea (ROK) First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori Takeo. The Deputy Secretary strongly condemned the DPRK's ballistic missile launches as destabilizing to the region and a clear violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, noting that they continued the DPRK's recent series of escalatory actions.
The Deputy Secretary and Vice Foreign Ministers Cho and Mori reaffirmed the importance of trilateral cooperation between the United States, the ROK, and Japan in tackling pressing challenges in the region and across the globe, and they discussed our continued efforts to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The Deputy Secretary reaffirmed the United States' ironclad commitment to the defense of the ROK and Japan. While noting that the door to diplomacy with the DPRK remains open, she emphasized that the United States will take all necessary measures to ensure the security of our allies. Deputy Secretary Sherman called on the DPRK to cease its unlawful and destabilizing behavior and instead engage in sustained and sincere dialogue. She also expressed concern about the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 in the DPRK and reiterated the United States stands ready to support international efforts to respond to the recent COVID-19 outbreak in the DPRK.
