South Korea's Yoon says summit with US, Japan a milestone in trilateral ties

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers a speech during a ceremony to celebrate the 78th anniversary of the Korean Liberation Day from Japanese colonial rule in 1945, in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023. Lee Jin-man/Pool via REUTERS

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Tuesday that an upcoming summit with the leaders of the United States and Japan will set a new milestone in trilateral cooperation.

In a speech marking the anniversary of his country's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule, Yoon emphasised a need to step up security cooperation with the U.S. and Japan to fend off North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats.