The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan held talks on Monday despite the martial law chaos in South Korea. 

According to Seoul’s foreign ministry on Monday, vice foreign minister for strategy and intelligence Cho Koo-rae met with his Japanese counterpart, Hiroyuki Namazu, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink in Tokyo. 

In the meeting, the three sides agreed that trilateral cooperation on North Korea is “more crucial than ever.” 

They also agreed to manage the situation stably through detailed cooperation but respond resolutely to any provocation from the North, saying North Korea’s continued threats and provocations are seriously threatening regional peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

The three nations urged the North to halt its provocations and engage in dialogue without preconditions. 

The ministry said the envoys also agreed on the need to strengthen communication with China, recognizing that China’s role is important in dealing with North Korea issues.

The meeting was held as President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived martial law decree has disrupted diplomatic schedules. 

The fourth meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group, a body that allows Seoul to provide input regarding Washington’s use of its nuclear assets, has been indefinitely postponed while U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin canceled a trip to South Korea.