BRUSSELS (Kyodo) -- The foreign ministers of Japan, the United States and South Korea on Thursday voiced "serious concerns" over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs as well as its growing military cooperation with Russia, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan called for an end to actions that "destabilize" security around the Taiwan Strait, in what appears to be a veiled warning to China amid increasing military exercises in the area.

South Korea’s Constitutional Court removed impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol from office on Friday, four months after he threw South Korean politics into turmoil by declaring martial law and sending troops to parliament in an ill-fated effort to break through legislative gridlock.

The strength of these alliances depends on whether Trump views Tokyo and Seoul as bulwarks against China’s rise or vassals that can be extorted for financial gain.

Several commentators (myself included) have urged local market regulators to follow the examples of Japan and South Korea, where measures were introduced recently to raise the quality of listed companies.

Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo are major U.S. trading partners, although they have been at loggerheads among themselves over issues, including territorial disputes.

President Trump's reciprocal tariffs on Japan (24%) and South Korea (25%) were largely in line with market expectations. Both countries will seek to negotiate lower tariffs, rather than retaliate. Yet US tariffs will generally hit Asia harder, adding to downside risks on growth for Tokyo and Seoul

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Friday that the importance of bilateral cooperation with South Korea will not change, after