US, Japan, S. Korea to hold trilateral summit Sun. in Cambodia

This combined photo shows, from left, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. (Kyodo)

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) — U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will hold a trilateral summit in Cambodia on Sunday as they seek to enhance cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region amid rising tensions over North Korea, the U.S. government said.

Biden will also hold bilateral meetings with the two leaders on Sunday, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Thursday in a press conference.

The talks will be held on the sidelines of Association of Southeast Asian Nations-related summits on Saturday and Sunday in Phnom Penh.

Sullivan said there is growing concern that North Korea could conduct a seventh nuclear test and the U.S. government remains on alert for more long-range ballistic missile launches by the North.

Pyongyang has launched ballistic missiles at an unprecedented pace this year.

While Biden is also scheduled to attend a Group of 20 summit slated for next Tuesday and Wednesday in Bali, Indonesia, Sullivan said there are no plans for a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is expected to lead the Russian delegation.

Kishida and Yoon will also attend the G-20 meeting.

Following the summits, Kishida is scheduled to attend a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum on Nov. 18 and 19 in Bangkok, according to the Japanese government.