By Lee Kap-soo

Regarding the discharge of Fukushima contaminated water, Philip Goldberg, the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, said, "The positions of Korea and the United States are consistent. We think Japan has followed the scientific process that is accepted around the world in discharging Fukushima contaminated water, and we are satisfied with it. It will be released over the next 30 years.”

Holding a press conference on the Korea-U.S. summit at the embassy's residence in Jongno-gu, Seoul on Aug. 23, Ambassador Goldberg said, "I don't mean to ignore pending issues between Korea and Japan, such as contaminated water and forced labor. But if we develop more bilateral relations and trilateral relations, including the United States, the possibility of diplomatically solving such issues increases."

Philip Goldberg, the U.S. ambassador to South Korea (third from left), holds a press conference on the Korea-U.S. summit at the embassy's residence in Jongno-gu, Seoul on Aug. 23.
 

He stressed that the trilateral cooperation will strengthen military training to cope with North Korea's provocations and threats and it is necessary to protect the South Koreans."

Philip Goldberg also stressed the importance of developing relations between South Korea and Japan, saying that Yoon Suk-yeol's decision played a major role in relation to the Korea-U.S. summit held at Camp David on Aug. 18.

He said the talks are "not about forming a new NATO," adding, "It is about three democratic countries with common interests and values working together."

"The trilateral agreement does not intervene or damage our two most important allies, Korea and Japan, in bilateral alliances with them," he said. "Our alliance with each of the two countries is like an ironclad and our pledge to curb expansion is strongly maintained.

Asked whether the trilateral consultation was a "duty" or a "promise," Ambassador Goldberg said, "We have continued to maintain the expression as a pledge for consultation. This cooperation is not an immediate trigger when under any threat of force. Many aspects of the bilateral alliance will not be replaced or affected by the three-way (Korea, the U.S. and Japan) talks." 

He clarified, "It can be seen as a political agreement rather than a legally binding document." "The United States has signed mutual defense treaties with South Korea and Japan, respectively. The trilateral summit is a new form of security cooperation, he said. "We never see it as a military alliance between Korea and Japan."

Regarding the separate specification of China at the meeting, he said, "We did not target China, but I don't think it means that we should not mention important principles (such as the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait)."

On the plan to hold the Korea, U.S. Japan summit in Seoul next year, he said, "The U.S. accepts it very positively," adding, "We have to wait and see for coordination."

Ambassador Goldberg said, "What I want to emphasize once again is that President Yoon's role in the whole process was great and important. "What we can see is that leadership is important and policies with a future-oriented perspective are important to make this happen."