South Korea pushing to host trilateral summit with US, Japan next year

Seoul: South Korea is pushing to host a trilateral summit with the US and Japan next year, a senior presidential official said on Thursday.

US President Joe Biden was the host of the first standalone trilateral summit involving South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Camp David in August, Yonhap news agency reported.

Speaking to reporters at the presidential office, the senior official noted the three leaders agreed at the time to try to meet around once a year on whatever occasion.

"We are sounding out their thoughts with the aim of inviting the leaders of Japan and the US to South Korea for a South Korea-US-Japan summit," the official said.

The three countries have been looking to strengthen their bilateral and trilateral partnerships in the face of growing regional and global challenges, including North Korea's nuclear programme and China's rising assertiveness.

On Friday and Saturday, the three countries' national security advisers will meet in Seoul to discuss follow-up measures to agreements produced at the Camp David summit and other meetings between their leaders.