U.S. Capitol Building [EPA=Yonhap News Archive]

A bill to establish a trilateral parliamentary dialogue channel between South Korea, the United States, and Japan has passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

The House unanimously approved the bill in a plenary session on the 8th (local time).

The bill, titled the "U.S.-Japan-South Korea Trilateral Cooperation Act," was introduced on May 15 of last year by Ami Bera (California), the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and Nonproliferation of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The bill passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee on July 22 of last year with 47 votes in favor and 3 against, and has now passed the House after nearly a year.

Procedures such as passage by the Senate and signature by the U.S. President remain before it can become law.

The core of the bill is to have the U.S. Department of State initiate negotiations with the governments of South Korea and Japan to create an official dialogue channel for the three countries' legislatures.

The bill states, "Within 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, shall seek to achieve a written agreement to establish a United States-Japan-Republic of Korea parliamentary dialogue to foster closer cooperation on shared interests and values, including by initiating negotiations with the Governments of Japan and the Republic of Korea."

The U.S. delegation, with a two-year term, will consist of a total of eight members: four from the House of Representatives and four from the Senate, with an equal representation of four members from the Republican and Democratic parties.

In a press release on the 9th, Representative Bera stated that the bill "reflects the commitment made at the August 2023 Camp David trilateral summit, emphasizing Congress's role in translating that commitment into sustained policy and institutional cooperation."

He further added, "Diplomacy is at the heart of peace. The United States, Japan, and South Korea are stronger when we stand together to advance our shared interests and confront our common challenges. This bill contributes to ensuring that our trilateral cooperation is sustainable long-term by strengthening exchanges between our legislatures and reaffirming America’s commitment to two of our closest allies in the Indo-Pacific region."