South Korean and Japanese defense leaders commit to increased dialogue and potential collaboration in artificial intelligence technologies.
In a significant step towards reinforcing their alliance, South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and Japanese Minister Gen Nakatani held talks in Seoul on Monday. The meeting, which marked Nakatani's first visit to South Korea as a defense minister in a decade, coincided with the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The ministers reaffirmed commitments made between the leaders of the two nations at their bilateral summit in Tokyo last month. They pledged to step up strategic communication in response to shifting regional dynamics and strengthen security cooperation and communication.
Both parties also underscored the need for joint responses to the deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. In a show of solidarity, they vowed to continue trilateral cooperation with the US against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.
During the meeting at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Yongsan, the ministers pledged to expand regular consultations, reciprocal visits, and personnel exchanges between their defense establishments. They also agreed to explore "mutually beneficial partnership opportunities" in AI, unmanned systems, and space.
Nakatani will pay tribute to the 46 sailors killed in the 2010 sinking of the Cheonan warship by a North Korean torpedo. He is scheduled to visit the Seoul National Cemetery and the Navy's Second Fleet during his stay in Seoul.
South Korea's military band will participate in the Japan Self-Defense Forces' music festival in November, though there is no current information available about Nakatani's participation in this event.
The ministers reiterated their shared commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. They pledged to expand their partnership in advanced science fields and to strengthen security cooperation to ensure peace and stability in the region.
Monday's talks were the first meeting between the defense chiefs of South Korea and Japan in two years. The discussions underscored the importance of the bilateral relationship and the commitment of both nations to work together for a peaceful and secure future.
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