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Introduction

The United States, Japan and South Korea are set to sign a new security pledge committing the three countries to consult each other in the event of a security crisis or threat in the Pacific, according to US President Joe Biden’s administration officials.

Details of the new “duty to consult” emerged as Biden prepares on Friday to welcome South Korean President Yoon Seok Yul and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to a summit at the President’s Camp David residence in Maryland.

Interconnected Security Environments

The move is also one of several collaborative efforts the leaders are expected to announce at the one-day summit as the three countries seek to strengthen security and economic ties amid growing concerns over persistent nuclear threats from North Korea and Chinese provocations in the Pacific.

The “duty to consult” commitment also seeks to recognize that the three countries share an “essentially interconnected security environment” and that a threat to one country is a “threat to all,” according to a senior Biden administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to preview an upcoming announcement.

“historic event”

Before leaving Tokyo on Thursday, Kishida told reporters that the summit would be a “historic occasion to strengthen triangular strategic cooperation” with Seoul and Washington.

He also continued, “I think it’s entirely possible to hold a summit between Japan, the United States and South Korea, where the leaders of the three countries will meet at a time when the situation around Japan is intensifying.”

Information exchange

He also added that in line with this commitment, the three countries agreed to consult, share information and align their messages with each other in the face of a threat or crisis.

And he added that this commitment does not violate the right of each country to self-defense in accordance with international law and does not change the existing bilateral treaty obligations between the United States, Japan, the United States and South Korea.

It is noteworthy that the United States deploys more than 80,000 troops between the two countries.

The summit is the first held by Biden during his presidency at the Camp David resort.