Blinken's deputy plans to visit South Korea to discuss threats from North Korea
US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell (photo: flickr.com)
US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell is set to visit South Korea soon. The high-level meeting will address regional and global challenges, including threats from North Korea, according to the US State Department.
It is noted that US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with several high-ranking South Korean officials in Seoul.
During this meeting, the parties will discuss bilateral cooperation to foster security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, as well as common regional and global challenges, including our shared concerns over DPRK provocations on the Korean Peninsula.
Campbell will also participate in a trilateral meeting with the deputy foreign ministers of the US, South Korea, and Japan in Seoul.
The US State Department stated that this meeting aims to further develop discussions on trilateral cooperation that took place during their first meeting in Washington in May.
"The dialogue will focus on a range of regional and global challenges, including the threats posed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the importance of upholding international law in the South China Sea, and other topics related to regional and global peace and security," the department conveyed.
Additionally, the Deputy Secretary of State will visit Japan, where he will discuss joint efforts to confront regional security threats, as well as cooperation around the co-production of defense technologies that will further enhance deterrence capabilities in the region.
The US State Department specified that the official's visit to Japan and South Korea is scheduled for October 15-17.
Tensions between North Korea and South Korea
Although the conflict between the two Koreas has persisted for many years, it has intensified in recent months amid North Korea's aggressive rhetoric, including nuclear threats and numerous missile launches.
Last week, North Korea announced that it would allegedly permanently close its border with South Korea and build defensive structures. Pyongyang explained this initiative as a means to cope with South Korean and US forces.
On October 11, the North Korean Foreign Ministry claimed that South Korean drones had reportedly been detected three times in the vicinity of Pyongyang, allegedly dispersing propaganda leaflets.
Following this, North Korea threatened a horrific catastrophe due to the supposed flight of South Korean drones over its capital. South Korea sharply responded to these threats.
Additionally, on October 13, it became known that North Korea had placed its artillery along the border with South Korea on heightened alert and ordered its military to be ready to open fire.
