The White House has welcomed the summit between the leaders of South Korea and Japan, stressing the importance of the trilateral ties of the two nations and the United States.

In a press briefing on Thursday, White House National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby offered a response to the summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on Thursday.

Kirby lauded what he called “truly historic” announcements by the two countries in the lead up to the first such summit in 12 years that marked “a new chapter of cooperation and partnership between them.”

He said that President Joe Biden welcomes the March 6 announcement by the Yoon Suk Yeol government on its plan to compensate the victims of Japan’s wartime forced labor, which Kirby said was intended to address historical issues and to improve bilateral ties.

He added that the U.S. will continue to support Japan and South Korea as they take steps to translate this new understanding into enduring progress.

Regarding North Korea's latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, Kirby reaffirmed the U.S.' commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan, vowing to bolster trilateral relations.