(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead with latest; UPDATES paras 2-4 as 3-way meeting takes place; CHANGES photo)
By Oh Seok-min

MANILA, July 22 (Yonhap) -- The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan met in Manila on Wednesday to explore ways to strengthen trilateral security and economic cooperation and discuss coordination on North Korea amid Pyongyang's deepening ties with China and Russia.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held trilateral talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on the sidelines of a series of ministerial meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the Philippine capital, according to Seoul's foreign ministry.

The three diplomats are in Manila to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS) foreign ministers' meeting and other related gatherings.

The trilateral meeting took place two weeks after the three held talks on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit on July 7.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (L), U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C) and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi pose for a photo ahead of their talks in Manila on July 22, 2026. (Yonhap)

The meeting is expected to cover a range of issues, including developments on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East, economic security and responses to transnational online crimes, according to ministry officials.

"The three ministers are expected to share assessments of recent developments in North Korea's relations with Russia and China and exchange views on effective ways to respond," ministry spokesperson Park Il said at a press briefing Tuesday.

Seoul has maintained that growing exchanges between North Korea and Russia, as well as between Pyongyang and Beijing, should contribute to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and help bring the North back to the dialogue table.

North Korea appears likely to skip the ARF for the second consecutive year, Seoul officials said, as it continues to focus on bilateral diplomacy with Russia and China while shunning multilateral diplomatic engagements.

During their trilateral meeting earlier this month, the three diplomats reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and vowed to continue efforts to pursue dialogue with Pyongyang.

The three countries also signed a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) to establish a framework for cooperation on accelerating the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) in third countries, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

The meeting also came amid renewed tensions in the Middle East, where armed clashes between the U.S. and Iran have continued for nearly two weeks after a preliminary peace agreement to end their monthslong war collapsed.

U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier called on U.S. allies, including South Korea, to send ships to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open and secure or otherwise contribute to regional stability. Maritime traffic through the strategic waterway has been severely disrupted since the conflict began in late February.

graceoh@yna.co.kr
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