<Anchor> The



defense ministers of South Korea, the United States, and Japan also met at the Asian Security Council and agreed to cooperate on North Korea's nuclear test and other provocations.

Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop also said he was willing to have serious talks with Japan.



Correspondent Kim A-young.



<Reporter>



On the last day of the Asian Security Conference, Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop delivered a speech on the topic of defense challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.



Minister Lee emphasized the need for North Korea's denuclearization, pointing out that North Korea's provocations, such as ICBM test launches and preparations for nuclear tests, are a major threat to regional stability.



As a countermeasure, he suggested security cooperation between South Korea, the US and Japan, along with strengthening the executive power of expansion deterrence, such as the deployment of US strategic assets.



[Lee Jong-seop/Minister of Defense: We also intend to strengthen trilateral security cooperation between South Korea, the US, and Japan in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile responses.]



Minister Lee added that he is particularly willing to have a serious dialogue with Japan.



At a separate meeting, the defense ministers of South Korea, the United States and Japan discussed ways to cooperate with North Korea, such as the trilateral missile warning training and ballistic missile tracking and monitoring training.



The move to increase the cohesion of the three countries is said to be based on a strong request from the US, but the prevailing view is that it is difficult for South Korea and Japan to work together right away.



[Lee Chang-min/Professor of Japanese Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies: (Japan) is in a difficult situation to take risks ahead of the House of Councilors election in early July, and issues called prerequisites remain because there is...

.]



However, dialogue between diplomatic channels is expected to continue.



Foreign Minister Park Jin is said to be considering a plan to visit Japan this month and hold talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi.