Japan, the US and South Korea ”Strongly Oppose China's Attempts to Change the Status Quo in the South China Sea”

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Japan, the United States and South Korea denounced North Korea's actions that undermine security, including its satellite launch, and also rejected China's attempts to change the status quo in the South China Sea.
First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea Kim Hong-Ki Yoon, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Masataka Okano met in Washington DC on the 31st (local time).
The three leaders held a meeting to discuss regional issues, including North Korea's strengthened provocations. In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the three leaders said, "We recognize the importance of cooperation between our three countries in responding to the difficult challenges we face."
"We reaffirmed that our trilateral cooperation is essential for the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific," he said.
He continued, "We share concerns about the increase in actions and statements by North Korea that undermine security.
"We strongly condemn North Korea's recent launches of ballistic missile technology, including the so-called 'military reconnaissance satellite,'" he said, "and reaffirm our commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and
"We strongly oppose any unilateral attempt to change the status quo in the maritime areas of the Indo-Pacific region," it said.
"We recognized the importance of opposing illegal maritime sovereignty claims in the South China Sea," the three sides said.
We also plan to move forward with a Japan-US-ROK summit."