U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met Southeast Asian foreign ministers on Thursday to seek their support in pressing North Korea to give up its nuclear and missile programs.
Tillerson's first meeting with all members of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations will also address another pressing regional issue — China's assertive pursuit of territory in the South China Sea, where several ASEAN members have competing claims.
Tillerson told reporters at the start of the Washington meeting that he and his counterparts would discuss North Korea.