Austin hails 'bold' steps to improve Seoul-Tokyo ties, progress in trilateral efforts against N.K. threats

By Chae Yun-hwan

SINGAPORE, June 3 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday praised "bold" steps by South Korea and Japan to improve ties and bolster trilateral cooperation with Washington against growing North Korean military threats.

He made the remarks during the first plenary session of the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual security forum in Singapore, as warming relations between Seoul and Tokyo have added new momentum to joint efforts to enhance America's security cooperation with its core Asian allies.

"I also salute the bold steps taken by Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) to work more closely together," Austin said, referring to South Korea by its official name.

"Strong ties between Tokyo and Seoul are good for both countries and for the region," he said. "We made tremendous progress in our own trilateral cooperation with Japan and the ROK, including more regular military exercises and greater information sharing."

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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