The text of the following joint statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi, and Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul held a call today to strongly condemn the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on October 31 (local time). The DPRK's launch is in flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. We strongly urge the DPRK to immediately cease its series of provocative and destabilizing actions that threaten peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.
We note the launch took place following the DPRK's announcement that its Constitution newly defined the ROK as a hostile state. The U.S. and Japan reiterated their support for a peacefully unified Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace. We again urge the DPRK to return to dialogue immediately. Only through dialogue can we achieve a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The ROK, U.S. and Japan, together with the international community, will continue to work closely towards the goal of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. We are also committed to strengthening our joint efforts, in close collaboration with the international community, to block the DPRK's illicit revenue generation funding its unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs. We deplore the DPRK's decision to divert its scarce resources away from its people to these unlawful weapons programs. The DPRK uses the additional revenue gained through illicit revenue generation to advance its ballistic missile program and continues to transfer ballistic missiles and other arms to Russia in violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.
The ROK, U.S. and Japan condemn in the strongest terms deepening military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia, including continued unlawful arms transfers, as well as the recent deployment of North Korean troops to Russia.
The United States reiterates that its commitments to the defense of the ROK and Japan are ironclad and backed by the full range of capabilities, including nuclear. In addition, the three countries will continue to strengthen our trilateral security cooperation to deter and respond to the DPRK's advancing nuclear and ballistic missile threats more effectively.
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