Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, U.S. President Joe Biden, center, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speak during a press conference in Washington, D.C., Aug. 18, 2023. Yonhap

The leaders of South Korea, the United States and Japan hailed the achievements of their trilateral security cooperation since their historic Camp David summit a year ago and vowed to bolster their ties across a broad range of areas.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida issued a joint statement celebrating progress in their three-way cooperation since their first-ever stand-alone summit at the U.S. presidential retreat Camp David a year ago.

"We are working together to achieve our shared goals of advancing security and prosperity for the region and the world," the statement said. "We stand by our commitment to consult on regional challenges, provocations, and threats affecting our collective interests and security."

The leaders highlighted key accomplishments in security areas, including the launch of the trilateral multi-domain exercise Freedom Edge in June and the signing of a new Trilateral Security Cooperation Framework last month.

The leaders also recognized the efforts of a trilateral working group in disrupting North Korea's funding of weapons of mass destruction programs through cybercrime and other illicit means.

"We are resolved to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, remain aligned in our shared vision, and stand ready to meet the world's greatest challenges," the statement said.

"We hold an unshakeable belief that cooperation between Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States is indispensable for meeting today's challenges and will set the stage for a prosperous future."

Seoul has beefed up security cooperation with Washington and Tokyo to bolster deterrence against North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programs, as well as its growing military cooperation with Russia following the signing of a mutual defense pact in June.

North Korea has accused the Biden administration of a hostile policy toward Pyongyang.

On Tuesday, Pyongyang's state media warned South Korea and Japan's building of closer ties with Washington would risk turning their people into "cannon fodder" in the event of a nuclear attack.

The trilateral joint statement came ahead of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise between South Korea and the U.S., set to begin Monday.

The North has long denounced the allies' joint exercises as a rehearsal for an invasion against it and has a track record of staging weapons tests in response. (Yonhap)