Japan and South Korea deepen security coordination in Seoul
Vice ministers reaffirmed bilateral ties, US trilateral cooperation and coordination on North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.
- Japan and South Korea held their first vice-ministerial security dialogue in Seoul, upgrading the talks from the previous director-general level.
- The dialogue focused on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and emphasized the importance of three-way cooperation with the United States.
- Both nations agreed to continue regular exchanges and coordination between their diplomatic and defense authorities to strengthen security ties.
Japan and South Korea convened their first vice-ministerial security dialogue in Seoul on Thursday (May 7), underscoring the importance of their bilateral relationship and three-way cooperation with the United States, according to South Korea’s Foreign Ministry.
The talks also covered North Korea’s ongoing nuclear and missile development, along with security concerns in the Middle East and wider regional issues, the ministry said.
Japan’s delegation was led by Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi and Koji Kano, vice-minister of defence for international affairs. South Korea was represented by First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo and Vice Defence Minister Lee Doo-hee.
Both sides agreed to continue exchanges and coordination between their diplomatic and defence authorities, as “shuttle diplomacy”, reciprocal visits by Japanese and South Korean leaders, has become more firmly established.
Japan and South Korea first created the security dialogue framework in 1998. Thursday’s meeting was the 14th round held under the arrangement.
The format was raised from director-general level to vice-ministerial level after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung reaffirmed the importance of security cooperation between Japan and South Korea, as well as with the United States, during their January talks in Nara, western Japan, Takaichi’s home turf.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
