Anchor: South Korea, the U.S. and Japan have adopted a joint statement that identifies North Korea’s nuclear program as a direct threat to their national security. In the trilateral meetings held in Washington, the three nuclear envoys also discussed the killing of Kim Jong-nam.
Alannah Hill has the story.
 
Report: South Korean envoy Kim Hong-kyun expressed concerns that the North's latest missile test this month could be a precursor to a full-scale intercontinental missile launch. 

His counterparts, Joseph Yun and Kenji Kanasugi, agreed to strongly warn the North against any additional provocations.

In the three-way meeting in Washington on Monday, the top nuclear negotiators from South Korea, the U.S. and Japan included the concern in a joint statement.

While reaffirming that the North Korean nuclear and missile programs pose direct security threats, the envoys also positively assessed China’s decision to temporarily suspend imports of North Korean coals.

The three allies also agreed to more thoroughly implement sanctions on the North under the UN Security Council resolutions.
 
At the meeting, the three sides also discussed how to coordinate a response to the killing of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s half-brother Kim Jong-nam, amid mounting evidence that the North is behind his death.
 
Seoul's nuclear envoy pointed out that the use of WMD-classified VX nerve agent is a serious violation of the international regulations, urging the international community to strongly respond to the case.
Alannah Hill, KBS World Radio News. 

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