SEOUL: The Defense Ministry in Seoul said on Tuesday that South Korea, the United States, and Japan are discussing the potential of convening trilateral defence ministerial talks.

Following a report by Japanese broadcaster NHK that the countries are coordinating over the idea of holding talks between Seoul's Defense Minister Suh Wook and his US and Japanese counterparts, Lloyd Austin and Nobuo Kishi, respectively, in Hawaii next month, Ministry spokesperson Boo Seung-chan made the remarks. "We are now in consultations with the related nations on the question of hosting the trilateral Defence Ministers' meeting," Boo said at a routine press briefing.

Seoul and Washington agreed earlier this month during their annual Security Consultative Meeting in Seoul and subsequent high-level talks that the allies will aim to hold three-way defence ministerial talks with Japan as soon as possible, according to the spokesperson.

In November 2019, the three nations held a trilateral defence ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) security discussions in Bangkok. If held, the proposed trilateral meeting would come at a time when Washington is trying to unite its allies and partners to confront China's assertiveness in the face of escalating great-power rivalry on a variety of fronts, including technology, security, and trade.

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