; and (B) based on the shared values of democracy, the rule of law, free and open markets, and respect for human rights; (2) cooperation among the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea is essential for confronting global challenges, including— (A) preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; (B) combating piracy; (C) assisting victims of conflict and disaster worldwide; (D) protecting maritime security; and (E) ensuring freedom of navigation, commerce, and overflight in the Indo-Pacific region; (3) the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea share deep concern that the nuclear and ballistic missile programs, the conventional military capabilities, and the chemical and biological weapons programs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, together with the long history of aggression and provocation by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, pose grave threats to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region; (4) the United States welcomes greater security cooperation with and between Japan and the Republic of Korea to promote mutual interests and address shared concerns, including— (A) the bilateral military intelligence-sharing pact between Japan and the Republic of Korea, signed on November 23, 2016; and (B) the trilateral intelligence sharing agreement among the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, signed on December 29, 2015