South Korea and Japan have reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula while agreeing to strengthen defence cooperation during high-level talks in Seoul. The meeting reflected both countries’ shared focus on improving regional security and expanding military coordination amid growing challenges in Northeast Asia.
South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back and Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation and continue working closely with the United States to maintain regional peace and stability. They also decided to revive joint humanitarian search-and-rescue drills, marking another step toward rebuilding military cooperation after years of strained relations.s
The latest meeting builds on efforts made since 2022 to improve ties despite longstanding historical and political disputes. In recent years, both governments have expanded cooperation in security, economic affairs and energy, while also increasing trilateral coordination with Washington to address North Korea’s nuclear programme and its growing military partnership with Russia.
Furthermore, the two defence ministers agreed to strengthen exchanges between South Korea’s Black Eagles and Japan’s Blue Impulse aerobatic teams. They also discussed broader military cooperation, including possible logistics support covering fuel, food and ammunition, while continuing joint search-and-rescue exercises designed to respond to maritime emergencies across the region.
Despite the progress, several sensitive issues continue to affect bilateral relations between the neighbouring countries. Historical disagreements over Japan’s colonial-era actions and the longstanding territorial dispute over the Dokdo, known as Takeshima in Japan, remain unresolved, although both governments have continued pursuing dialogue while expanding practical cooperation in defence and regional security.