The following article is an opinion piece by Eunju Kim, a researcher for Voices of North Korea Youths. Views expressed in opinion articles are exclusively the author’s own and do not represent those of NK News.

In the last couple of years, the U.S., South Korea and Japan have made great strides in pushing forward trilateral cooperation, and the summit between the countries’ leaders at Camp David last year reflected their shared commitment to democracy and freedom.

In stark contrast, the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war has led to a very different kind of trilateral collaboration between China, Russia and