The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan have agreed to strengthen coordination on Washington’s new policy on North Korea. 

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi sat down together for the first time in 15 months in London on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Group of Seven(G7) foreign and development ministers’ meeting. 

The South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the officials agreed to strengthen coordination to make substantial progress toward complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. 

The ministry said Blinken briefed Chung and Motegi on the outcome of the U.S.’ review of its North Korea policy and the three sides agreed to closely communicate and cooperate in pushing for the new policy. 

They also reaffirmed the importance of trilateral cooperation and agreed to continuously seek mutually beneficial and future-oriented cooperation to enhance peace, security and prosperity in the region. 

A senior Seoul official who observed the trilateral talks said that during the 50-minute meeting, measures were discussed to bring the North back to the negotiating table through smooth implementation of the new U.S. policy, but other agendas, including China, were not on the table.  

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement that the three sides also agreed on the need to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions to ensure stability on the Korean Peninsula.