SEOUL (Reuters) - The nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States, and Japan condemned North Korea for its recent missile tests, arms trade with Russia and increasingly hostile rhetoric at a meeting in Seoul on Thursday. "The United States is also deeply concerned by the recent uptick in hostile rhetoric particularly toward the Republic of Korea from the DPRK (North Korean) regime," Pak said. The three countries have increased joint efforts to deter North Korea in recent years including trilateral meetings and launching a missile warning data sharing system in December. South Korea on Wednesday announced sanctions on two individuals, three entities and 11 ships linked to North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes, days after North Korea fired a new intermediate-range, solid-fuel hypersonic missile. Japan's envoy, Hiroyuki Namazu, condemning Pyongyang's ballistic missile launch and said there must be close monitoring of what Russia might be providing to North Korea in return for armaments.

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Persons: Jung Pak, Pak, Kim Jong, Kim Gunn, Hiroyuki Namazu, Hyunsu Yim, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Ukraine, North, DPRK, Wednesday, Korean, Peace, Security Affairs, South Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, United States, Japan, North Korea, Russia, Seoul, North Koreans, U.S, Republic of Korea, Korea, Pyongyang