Could North Korea bring South Korea and Japan together?
If signed, two proposed military cooperation agreements to deal with North Korea would be the first such agreements between the two nations since Japan’s occupation of Korea in the early 20th century.
South Korean and Japanese Defense chiefs meeting in Seoul on Monday appear to be working toward strengthening military cooperation between the two nations. The meeting laid the groundwork for the exchange of military supplies and services and the sharing of intelligence, two items deemed essential to countering any future North Korean aggression.
In a joint statement, Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and his Seoul counterpart, Kim Kwan-jin, stressed the importance of coordinating military efforts to rein in North Korea.
“The two ministers shared views that North Korea’s recent provocations, including the artillery strike on Yeonpyeong Island and the revelation of its uranium enrichment facility, can never be tolerated,” the statement read.