Trilateral Summit in Seoul to Address North Korea’s Abduction Issues

SEOUL - South Korea, China, and Japan are negotiating to address North Korea's abduction of South Korean nationals in a joint statement at their upcoming trilateral summit.

According to Yonhap News Agency, President Yoon Suk Yeol will convene with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Seoul on Monday. This meeting marks the resumption of the long-stalled trilateral summit after four and a half years. The ninth trilateral summit may result in a joint statement or declaration, focusing on the resolution of abduction, detention, and prisoner of war issues involving South Korean and possibly Japanese nationals held in North Korea.

The upcoming statement may continue the dialogue initiated during the 2018 and 2019 summits, which included specific mentions of Japanese abductees. Previous summits have expressed a hope for improved communication between Japan and North Korea regarding abductions. Currently, there are six South Koreans detained in North Korea, with unclear statuses, alongside 516 others who were taken post-Korean War and have yet to return.