South Korea, the U.S. and Japan have reached a consensus that they need to stably manage the situation on the Korean Peninsula, while continuously pressuring the North.

First Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam announced the allies coordinated stance in a joint press conference in Seoul on Wednesday, following his meeting with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan and Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama.

Lim said they all assessed the current situation regarding the North Korean nuclear issue and affirmed that their joint goal is peaceful denuclearization.

He said they agreed to fully exert all available diplomatic efforts, including sanctions and dialogue, to deal with Pyongyang through close consultations.

Sullivan said the U.S. will focus on diplomacy while continuing pressure on the regime, as their goal is to pressure the North to return to the negotiating table without conditions. 

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