South Korea and Japan Discuss Bilateral Military Logistics Support Agreement; Humanitarian Search and Rescue Exercises to Resume After 9 Years

From Singapore, South Korean Defense Minister An Kwi-bong said that the defense ministers of South Korea and Japan exchanged views on the Arrangement on Cooperation in Supply of Materiel and Services (ACSA) during their meeting on Saturday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, An told reporters at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore on Sunday that he could not disclose details of the talks between the two defense ministers. He said that signing the ACSA requires understanding from both nations’ citizens, so I believe it must be approached with great caution. An met with Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishida during his participation in the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday.

Reports indicate that although the ACSA was not an official agenda item for recent South Korea-Japan defense talks, Japan raised the issue during discussions. The core content of the agreement involves contracting parties providing military supplies such as ammunition, food, and fuel to each other in emergencies. As a institutional measure to strengthen South Korea-Japan military cooperation, this agreement is a highly sensitive public issue given historical disputes between the two countries.

During the Lee Myung-bak administration, South Korea and Japan had prepared to sign both the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and the ACSA, but ultimately failed due to public opposition. Japan has long been eager to sign the ACSA, while South Korea has maintained a cautious stance.

An’s remarks also mark the first time since President Lee Jae-myung took office that a South Korean defense official has formally acknowledged discussions with Japan regarding the ACSA. In response, the South Korean Ministry of Defense emphasized that the government's position remains unchanged and stated: "At present, it is still too early for ACSA; no review has yet begun."

On the same day, Kishida delivered a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue saying, "Japan is willing to further expand cooperation with South Korea, but I believe such progress must also receive support from the South Korean people." He added, "I will do my utmost to create an environment conducive to future collaboration while maintaining the good relationship established with Minister An."

Additionally, when asked at this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue about his views on historical tensions between China and Japan, An simply stated: "Since this is an issue between China and Japan, as a third party, I should refrain from commenting."

Notably, at the beginning of their meeting on Saturday, An announced that the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Republic of Korea Navy would conduct humanitarian search and rescue exercises on June 7th. These exercises have been suspended since their last occurrence in 2017. This marks the first resumption of the drills after nearly nine years, reflecting the improvement in South Korea-Japan relations.

Kishida emphasized, "Japan and South Korea play a crucial role in promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, including enhancing deterrence." He expressed his intention to maintain and develop strong bilateral ties.

The two defense ministers confirmed their commitment to advancing trilateral defense cooperation among Japan, the United States, and South Korea. They also agreed to move forward with arrangements for Kishida’s early visit to South Korea. According to Japanese government sources, the visit is scheduled for late June.

Source: rfi

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1866714342127628/

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