ARF URGES COMPLETE DENUCLEARIZATION

Welcome to Press Perspective for this Monday July 14th here in Seoul.

I'm Min Sunhee.

First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo was in Malaysia to attend a number of ASEAN-related gatherings including the ASEAN Regional Forum as well as a trilateral interaction with the top diplomats of the U.S. and Japan on the margins of the regional multilateral meetings.

For more I have freelance journalist Raphael Rashid from the U.K. here in the studio.

Raphael hope you had a good weekend.

I also have Steven Borowiec with Japanese weekly news magazine Nikkei Asia with us.

Steven welcome back.

Raphael, let’s begin with the statement against North Korea’s nuclear weapons program shared at this year’s ASEAN Regional Forum and its significance.

Steven, North Korea’s denuclearization was also addressed during a trilateral ministerial exchange among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan.

Do tell us a bit about this meeting that took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN-related gatherings and its relevance.

Raphael, for the first time in 25 years, North Korea skipped this year’s ASEAN Regional Forum.

Do give us some context behind its absence.

Steven, Russia, for its part, reportedly expressed regret over North Korea’s absence at the security forum.

Its foreign minister also flew to Pyongyang.

Do tell us about his remarks and his latest trip to North Korea.

If I were to ask you to read into the optics of this trip, which came right after the ARF, what would you choose to highlight?

Raphael, the Russian diplomat also warned against a security partnership targeting North Korea by South Korea, Japan and the U.S.

What exactly did he say, and how do his remarks look to affect the trilateral framework?

Steven, against this backdrop, a number of scholars in Japan have been echoing sentiments that we’ve touched upon here on our show in recent times that a Trump-Kim summit may not be in the cards in the near future.

Now then, what are these Japanese pundits saying?

Raphael, in spite of the pessimism over prospects of a U.S.-North Korea summit, top diplomats of the U.S. and China met on the margins of the ASEAN-related agenda.

What topped their talks, and what were your takeaways?

Steven, come Tuesday, that is tomorrow, China hosts the foreign ministerial meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Do tell us a bit about this meeting and its agenda this year.

Raphael, earlier this month, Brazil hosted this year’s BRICS, which Trump accused of being “anti-American” and he then proceeded to threaten the bloc with additional tariffs.

How is Mr. Trump’s tariff policy affecting international diplomacy and cooperation?

Steven, it may be too early to ask, but based on Seoul’s diplomatic activities thus far, how is the foreign media evaluating its efforts thus far?

All right.