NewKerala.com

South Korea, Japan Resume Naval Drills After 9-Year Halt Amid Regional Tensions

South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back and Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met in Yokosuka and agreed to restart bilateral naval search and rescue exercises, which were last held in 2017. The ministers pledged to enhance military exchanges and explore cooperation in advanced fields like artificial intelligence and space. This move occurs amid heightened regional security concerns, including threats from North Korea and tensions between Japan and China over Taiwan. The meeting underscores efforts by the two U.S. allies to strengthen defense ties in a "future-oriented" direction.

Key Points: S. Korea, Japan Agree to Resume Naval Exercises After 9 Years

  • Resume naval exercises after 9-year stall
  • Boost defense cooperation in AI and space
  • Address security threats from China, North Korea
  • Strengthen trilateral alliance with US
2 min read

S Korea, Japan defence ministers hold talks; agree to resume bilateral naval exercises stalled for 9 years

South Korea and Japan will restart bilateral naval search and rescue drills to boost military ties, amid security threats from North Korea and China.

"Both ministers concurred on activating personnel and unit exchange to boost mutual understanding and trust - Joint Press Release"

Seoul, January 31

South Korea and Japan have agreed to resume their bilateral naval search and rescue exercise for the first time in nine years as part of efforts to promote military exchange, Seoul's defence ministry said as reported by the country's state media.

South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back and his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi, held talks in the Japanese port city of Yokosuka on Friday.

"Both ministers concurred on activating personnel and unit exchange to boost mutual understanding and trust between the South Korean military and the Japanese Self-Defence Force," a joint press release cited by Yonhap said.

The two ministers agreed to explore ways of cooperation in areas ranging from artificial intelligence to space to advance their defence relations in a "mutually beneficial and future-oriented" direction.

South Korea and Japan last held the maritime exercises in 2017. The drills were stalled amid a series of incidents dampening their ties, such as a row over Japan's plan to hoist the Rising Sun Flag, a controversial flag regarded as symbolic of its past imperialism, on its vessel during a 2018 fleet review in South Korea.

Ahn and Koizumi last held bilateral talks in November last year on the margins of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Kuala Lumpur.

The meeting between the two US allies comes amid growing security threats from China and North Korea.

Ties between Tokyao and Bejing had deteriorated since late last year following Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks in which she suggested that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could be considered a "survival-threatening situation," which would permit Japan to take military action.

Beijing considers Taiwan as its own territory and maintains its right to take control of the island one day, including by force.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung in Nara, Japan. The discussions centred around range of issues from industrial supply chains and artificial intelligence to denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and cooperation with the United States, CNN had reported.

Also, US Undersecretary of Defence for Policy, Elbridge A Colby, had visited South Korea and Japan this week.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Interesting, but they must tread carefully. The historical tensions, especially over symbols like the Rising Sun flag, are deep. Cooperation is good for stability, but it shouldn't come at the cost of ignoring past grievances. Hope the focus stays on future-oriented mutual benefit.
A
Aman W
The mention of AI and space cooperation is key. India should take note and accelerate its own defence tech partnerships. The global security landscape is becoming tech-centric very fast.
S
Sarah B
While strengthening alliances is understandable given North Korea's threats, the Taiwan issue is a potential flashpoint. Any miscalculation there could have global repercussions. Diplomacy should be the foremost tool.
V
Vikram M
Good move. A stable and secure East Asia is crucial for India's Act East policy and economic interests. When major democracies in the region cooperate, it creates a more predictable environment for trade and investment. Japan and SK are both important partners for us.
K
Karthik V
The US Undersecretary's visit this week is the missing piece of the puzzle. Clearly, Washington is actively stitching its alliances tighter. For India, maintaining strategic autonomy while engaging with all these players is the real challenge and opportunity.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50