The US-Japan-South Korea are at risk of pulling Southeast Asia like NATO

Not only between the US-Japan-South Korea, the cooperation will cover Southeast Asia and Pacific nations. The focus of the forum is presenting its alliance which will dominate the regional security architecture.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in AS-Jepang-Korsel Berisiko Tarik Asia Tenggara seperti NATO

AP PHOTO/SUSAN WALSH

President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol (left), President of the United States Joe Biden, and Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida met in Madrid, Spain, in July 2022. They will meet again at Camp David, United States, on Friday (18/8/2023).

SEOUL, THURSDAY - The United States, Japan, and South Korea want to involve Southeast Asia and Pacific nations in their security cooperation. The cooperation forum has been heavily criticized by North Korea and China.

North Korea's strong protest will take the form of missile launches. South Korean lawmaker, Yoo Sang-bum, stated that he obtained the information about North Korea's maneuvers from South Korea's intelligence agency, NIS. North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch vehicles are currently being moved around the capital city of Pyongyang. "We continue to monitor the movement," he said on Thursday (17/8/2023), as quoted by Yonhap news agency.

In addition to ICBMs, North Korea is also mobilizing other missile forces. The launch of various missiles is part of a joint exercise of the North Korean army. "There are big movements around the North Korean missile fuel factory," said Yoo.

The mobilization of launchers occurred after rumors circulated that South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida would visit the US. They will be hosted by US President Joe Biden at Camp David, one of the presidential retreats, on Friday (18/8/2023).

Read also: US-Japan-South Korea Forms New Military Alliance on Korean Peninsula

A meeting at Camp David was proposed by Biden when the three leaders met in Hiroshima, Japan. The meeting in Japan was held on the sidelines of the G7 summit. The Camp David meeting will be the first forum for the three countries to specifically discuss security issues and other cooperation.

Southeast Asia

First Deputy Advisor of South Korea's National Security Kim Tae-hyo referred to the meeting on Friday as a breakthrough in 21st century security diplomacy. "This forum will reaffirm the form of Indo-Pacific cooperation," he said.

At least three documents will be produced in the upcoming meeting. The first document, the Camp David Principles, will discuss the principles of Indo-Pacific cooperation. Not only among the three countries, but the cooperation will also cover Southeast Asia and Pacific nations. "Cooperation based on shared values," he said last Tuesday in Seoul.

The second document, the Camp David Spirit, is a joint statement by Biden-Kishida-Yoon. The statement contains steps to enhance defense and security cooperation among the three countries. They will establish a new institution, regularize joint exercises, and enhance economic security together. Meanwhile, the third document has no name yet. The document is still being finalized by officials from the three countries ahead of their leaders' meeting.

AFP/POOL/JUNG YEON-JE

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (left) was welcomed by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in May 2023 in Seoul, South Korea. They will meet again at Camp David, United States, upon the invitation of US President Joe Biden. The meeting on Friday (18/8/2023) will discuss the security cooperation between the three countries.

In a statement a few days ago, Yoon expressed his hope for the achievement of a security cooperation agreement between Seoul-Tokyo-Washington. Yoon wants the trio to be better prepared to face the threat of North Korea's missiles and nuclear weapons.

Chinese Foreign Affairs University lecturer Li Haidong stated that the Camp David forum highlights the Asian version of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). "This mini-NATO forum takes advantage of concerns over the situation on the Korean Peninsula. The problem is, the forum is not intended to solve problems. The focus of the forum is to establish an alliance that will dominate the regional security architecture," he said, as quoted by Chinese media, Global Times.

Although there will be Japanese-South Korean agendas and interests, according to Li, the forum will be used more for US interests. "They will reach an agreement to form a platform that is difficult not to define as a NATO replica," he said.

Also read: North Korea: US Soldiers Fleeing for Asylum

North Korean Defense Minister Kang Sun-nam condemned the meeting, stating that the US is continuously pushing for a nuclear war to break out in East Asia. The US continues to deploy its nuclear-capable planes and ships to East Asia, using them in various war exercises in the region.

"All of these exercises are designed to prepare for a total war against us. The exercises are on a scale, intensity, and duration that have never been seen before. The question now is not whether or not there will be a war, but rather when and who will be the instigator," he said as quoted by the Russian news agency Tass.

Diverse cooperation

Indo-Pacific Policy Coordinator at the US National Security Council, Kurt Campbell, said that the three countries will invest in future technology sectors. They will also agree on specific communication mechanisms among the leaders of the three nations. "Future cooperation will be increasingly close, profound, and extensive," he said.

Several issues that will be discussed at Camp David include developments in the Taiwan Strait. "This forum is a profound message to the region and the world," said Campbell.

The spokesperson for the US National Security Council, John Kirby, stated that affirmative steps will be emphasized at Camp David. "We are confident in the formation of a sustainable and resilient cooperation forum in the 21st century," he said.

AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS

In the photo recorded on December 15, 2022, North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un inspected rockets at the Saikai space complex in Pyongyang.

The Camp David meeting will not only discuss security issues, especially military ones. "There are many platforms and opportunities to deepen cooperation between the three countries," he said.

Meanwhile, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences researcher Dong Xiangrong stated that there is a major obstacle in the US-Japan-South Korea forum. The obstacle is the dispute between Japan and South Korea in various fields. "I am not sure they (Japan and South Korea) can really resolve their differences. They are too deep and broad," he said. (AFP/REUTERS)