Editor’s Note

As part of the recent ROK-U.S.-Japan trilateral summit at Camp David, the leaders of the three countries released three documents— “Camp David Principles,” "The Spirit of Camp David,” and “Commitment to Consult”—suggesting a new path for trilateral cooperation. In this interview, Won Gon Park (Chair of North Korea Studies Center, EAI) and Yang Gyu Kim (Executive Director, EAI) discuss Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo’s shifting approach toward North Korea, as revealed in the documents. Observing that the three states view the North Korea problem in the context of a broader global security issue, the speakers highlight that enhanced ROK-U.S.-Japan integrated deterrence will diminish the utility of North Korea’s nuclear weapons. Yet Kim concludes that as Washington exerts pressure on its allies to closely align their foreign policies, Korea should establish consistent principles based on the grand strategy to secure its national interest.