U.S. Amb. Steel meets Japanese envoy, stresses continued trilateral cooperation

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel met with her Japanese counterpart, Ambassador Mizushima Koichi, emphasizing the significance of ongoing cooperation among Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo, according to a social media post on Tuesday. In her X post, Steel highlighted a constructive discussion with Mizushima regarding future prospects for trilateral collaboration between the United States, South Korea, and Japan.

She reiterated that maintaining coordination among the three nations would contribute to achieving a peaceful, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. This marked Steel's first public announcement of meetings with other ambassadors to South Korea since assuming her role last month. Additionally, Steel disclosed separate encounters with Canadian Ambassador to South Korea Philippe Lafortune and Israeli Ambassador to South Korea Rafael Harpaz.

She expressed delight in meeting with Lafortune and discussing their shared objectives in South Korea. The U.S. and Canada remain dedicated to ensuring peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, as per Steel's subsequent announcement.