Japan and South Korea seek steadier defence ties after Seoul talks
Shinjiro Koizumi and Ahn Gyu-back agree to expand military exchanges, from aerobatic teams and refuelling support to rescue drills and equipment talks.
- Japan and South Korea's defense ministers agreed to build more stable defense links through stronger communication and wider military-to-military exchanges.
- Specific areas of cooperation include deepening ties between their respective air force aerobatic teams and developing joint maritime search and rescue exercises.
- The two nations will advance discussions on defense equipment cooperation, a significant step following Japan's recent removal of its arms export ban.
- While a pact for mutual supplies of fuel and ammunition (ACSA) was not a central topic due to public sentiment, the ministers did share intelligence on regional security threats.
Japan and South Korea agreed on Sunday (June 28) to build more stable and future-oriented defence links, with Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back pledging stronger communication and wider exchanges after talks in Seoul.
The ministers placed particular emphasis on military-to-military contacts, agreeing to deepen cooperation between Blue Impulse, the aerobatic team of Japan’s Air Self-Defence Force, and the Black Eagles of the South Korean air force.
The move follows Japan’s first refuelling support for Black Eagles aircraft in January at the ASDF’s Naha Air Base in Okinawa, a practice defence officials from both countries are considering making a regular arrangement.
Koizumi and Ahn inspected the Black Eagles on Saturday, while details of future cooperation will be discussed later.
A possible Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, or ACSA, was not treated as a central item in the meeting.
The pact would allow mutual supplies of fuel and ammunition between Japan’s Self-Defence Forces and the South Korean military, but South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on June 8 that concluding it would be difficult for now because of public sentiment in South Korea.
“We are fully aware of the circumstances in South Korea,” an official at Japan’s defence ministry said.
Sunday’s meeting was “intended to create an environment for Japan-South Korea defence cooperation,” the official added.
Koizumi and Ahn instead agreed to move forward with discussions on cooperation in defence equipment.
The issue has taken on added importance after Japan revised its three principles on defence equipment transfers and related implementation guidelines in April, effectively removing its arms export ban, while South Korea has been expanding its presence as an arms exporter.
“We need to learn from South Korea’s policies,” Koizumi told reporters after the meeting.
The two ministers also reaffirmed their aim of achieving the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and establishing permanent peace there, while continuing cooperation among Japan, South Korea and the United States.
They also shared information on joint flights by Chinese and Russian bombers over the East China Sea on Saturday.
Separately, Koizumi and Ahn agreed to develop search and rescue exercises between Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force and the South Korean Navy.
An exercise of that kind was held this month for the first time in more than eight years.
Koizumi’s visit to South Korea, his first since taking office last October, came in response to Ahn’s trip to Japan in January.
It marked the first time since 2002-2003 that Japanese and South Korean defence ministers had exchanged visits within less than a year.
After the meeting, Koizumi and Ahn attended a dialogue event with young people from Japan and South Korea, aimed at deepening understanding of bilateral defence cooperation.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
