President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks on the phone with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Thursday.

Leaders of South Korea, Japan condemn North Korea for destabilizing security in East Asia, international community in unusually strong tone

By Nam Hyun-woo

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed during their phone conversation on Thursday on the need to send a clear message that North Korea will face the consequences of provocations.

According to the presidential office, Yoon spoke with Kishida for 25 minutes and the two leaders condemned North Korea in an unusually strong tone for the latest ballistic missile provocations.

"The two leaders strongly condemned North Korea's launch of ballistic missiles as a serious provocation which poses a grave threat to the peace and security of not only the Korean Peninsula, but also Northeast Asia and the international community," deputy presidential spokesperson Lee Jae-myoung said in a statement.

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"They also agreed that South Korea and Japan should cooperate on stronger responses to North Korea's bellicose actions," Lee added.

The phone call took place after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) on Thursday, marking the sixth launch in the last 12 days. The latest launch drew extra condemnation because the armed forces of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan were conducting a combined naval drill in the East Sea.

"The leaders also agreed that the North's reckless provocations need to stop, and that such acts will entail a hefty price," Lee said. "For that sake, the leaders said that it is important to maintain trilateral security cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan and pursue a strong coalition with the international community," the spokesperson added.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks to reporters after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan, at the Prime Minister's official residence in Tokyo, Tuesday. EPA-Yonhap

Kishida reportedly requested the phone call with Yoon.

The leaders spoke two weeks after holding a summit on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month.

North Korea's growing threats have prompted the two countries to cooperate with each other.

Seoul-Tokyo ties had hit the lowest point since Japan tightened its control on exports of key industrial materials to Seoul in 2019 following a South Korean court's decision ordering Japanese companies to compensate Koreans who were forced to labor at Japanese factories during World War II.

"The leaders also noted that the two countries are partners which need to cooperate in various areas, and assessed that there are some positive signs in bilateral relations, including the summit that took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last month," Lee said. "They agreed to continue making diplomatic efforts and candid communication on various pending issues including security," he added.