Sunday 13 November 2022 10:35 AM Biden sits down with Japanese and South Korean allies to talk North Korea, China trends now
President Joe Biden praised Japan and South Korea as key allies when he met their heads of government on Sunday to build a united front ahead of crucial talks with China and as North Korea raises the specter of a seventh nuclear test.
But as they considered stability in the Indo-Pacific region, he was forced to play peacemaker as journalists jostled for position.
The boisterous scenes came as Biden and his counterparts met during a summit of southeast Asian leaders in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, before Biden is due to fly to Bali for a G20 meeting.
'Japan and the Republic of Korea are critical allies of the United States,' he said, adding that they planned to discuss supply chain issues and how best to preserve 'peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.'
There was little peace and stability inside the room, however, as journalists clamored for the best spots.
Three separate nations press pools spelled chaos.
'This is conflict, look at this,' he said before adding: 'Gentlemen, calm down a little bit.'
Biden had already met separately with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol – before their joint meeting.
The leaders organized the united front as North Korea has alarmed all three nations by launching a ballistic missile over the Japanese mainland, and through a series of missile tests.
President Joe Biden was forced to ask journalists to calm down as they clashed at the start of a meeting between U.S., Japanese and South Korean leaders in Phnom Penh on Sunday
Biden had already met separately with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol – before their joint meeting
President Joe Biden is meeting with key allies at the ASEAN summit in Cambodia. He sat down for a three-way meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. He also held a 'pull aside' meeting with Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Officials have raised concerns about a potential North Korean nuclear test somehow pegged to the president's trip, which kicked off with the ASEAN meeting of southeast Asian meetings in Phnom Penh.
Earlier Biden had a brief 'pull aside' meeting with Australian President Anthony Albanese – another key regional ally that has raised concern about countering China's increasingly muscular posture in the region.
Last month North Korea launched a ballistic missile that flew over the Japanese mainland for the first time in five years. Residents were encouraged to seek shelter as it flew overhead, finally crashing into the ocean after traveling 2,850 miles.
North Korea's series of missile launches has alarmed experts. The Hwasong-17 ICBM that North Korea fired on November 2 appears to be part of a program to develop longer range missiles. A larger missile could reach inside the U.S mainland while carrying multiple warheads.
U.S. officials are not ruling out what would be North Korea's seventh nuclear test. Dictator Kim Jong-un has a history of using high profile events to seek attention and gain leverage through shows of military prowess.
National Security Council advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters en route to Cambodia the leaders would specifically discuss 'the threats posed by North
