[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 44 (Monday, November 4, 2002)]
[Pages 1867-1868]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Joint United States-Japan-Republic of Korea Trilateral Statement

October 26, 2002

    Today President George W. Bush, President Kim Dae-Jung, and Prime 
Minister Junichiro Koizumi met to reaffirm their commitment to a 
peaceful Korean peninsula free of nuclear weapons.
    The three leaders agreed that North Korea's program to enrich 
uranium for nuclear weapons is a violation of the Agreed Framework, the 
Non-Proliferation Treaty, North Korea's IAEA safeguards agreement, and 
the South-North Joint Declaration on Denuclearization of the Korean 
peninsula. The three leaders called upon North Korea to dismantle this 
program in a prompt and verifiable manner and to come into full 
compliance with all its international commitments in conformity with 
North Korea's recent commitment in the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang 
Declaration. In this context, the three leaders agreed to continue close 
coordination.
    The three leaders stressed their commitment to resolve this matter 
peacefully in close consultation trilaterally and with other concerned 
nations around the globe.
    The three leaders agreed that South-North dialogue and the opening 
of Japan-DPRK normalization talks can serve as important channels to 
call upon the North to respond quickly and convincingly to the 
international communities' demands for a denuclearized Korean peninsula. 
President Kim briefed that during the recent South-North Ministerial 
Meeting held in Pyongyang, the South strongly urged North Korea to take 
immediate action for a prompt and peaceful resolution of the nuclear 
issue. Prime Minister Koizumi reiterated that Japan-DPRK normalization 
should promote not only bilateral relations with North Korea, but also 
contribute to peace and stability of the region. In this regard, Prime 
Minister Koizumi stressed that Japan-North Korea normalization talks 
would not be concluded without full compliance with the Pyongyang 
Declaration between Japan and North Korea, in particular with regard to 
the security issues, including the nuclear issue, and abduction issues. 
President Bush reiterated his February statement in South Korea that the 
United States has no intention of invading North Korea as well as the 
fact that he had been prepared to pursue a bold approach to transforming 
U.S.-DPRK relations.
    The three leaders noted the potential for North Korea to benefit 
from greater participation as a member of the international community. 
However, the three leaders agreed that North Korea's relations with the 
international community now rest on North Korea's prompt and visible 
actions to dismantle its program to produce highly enriched uranium for 
nuclear weapons.
    With a view to contributing to regional as well as international 
peace and stability, the three leaders reaffirmed that continued close

[[Page 1868]]

consultations and trilateral coordination remain vital to the success of 
their efforts towards North Korea.

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement.