The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
U.S. Special Representative for the DPRK Ambassador Sung Kim met on July 8 with Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs Funakoshi Takehiro and Republic of Korea (ROK) Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim Gunn to discuss U.S.-Japan-ROK coordination on the DPRK. U.S. Special Representative Kim reaffirmed the importance of enhancing trilateral security cooperation in the face of the DPRK’s continued destabilizing and unlawful ballistic missile launches and committed to work closely to mitigate the threats posed by the DPRK’s malicious cyber activity. They reiterated their commitment to a diplomatic path and called upon Pyongyang to return to dialogue. U.S. Special Representative Kim also reiterated the continued U.S. commitment to seeking an immediate resolution of the abductions issue.