South Korea and Japan Agree to Strengthen Defense Cooperation, Continue Air Force and Maritime Training

South Korean and Japanese defense ministers met in Seoul today (June 28) and agreed to further strengthen defense cooperation between the two nations, including exchanges between their air force aerobatic teams, naval search-and-rescue exercises, and collaboration in advanced science and technology.
The Ministry of National Defense stated in a joint press release that Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi reached the agreement during bilateral talks held at the ministry headquarters in Seoul.
In the joint statement, both sides announced, "The ministers agreed to continue developing exchange cooperation between the two countries' aerobatic teams (the Black Eagles and Blue Impulse), building on the Black Eagles' stopover in Japan. They also agreed to further develop search-and-rescue exercises for various maritime accident scenarios and to pursue discussions on cooperation in advanced science and technology, such as AI."
They further stated, "The ministers agreed to strengthen communication and efforts for the development of stable and future-oriented South Korea-Japan defense cooperation by promoting mutual understanding and trust."
On January 28, the South Korean aerobatic team, the Black Eagles, made its first stopover at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's Naha Air Base in Okinawa for mid-air refueling, which included exchanges between pilots from both countries. The latest agreement signifies a commitment to continue this cooperation rather than letting it remain a one-time event.
However, the Ministry of National Defense clarified that a regular schedule for the Black Eagles' stopovers and refueling support in Japan has not been decided.
The two sides also reached a consensus on regularizing and further strengthening defense cooperation in the naval sector, including the development of the South Korea-Japan search-and-rescue exercise (SAREX), which was held earlier this month for the first time in nine years since 2017.
The two ministers stated, "We shared the view that we will continue cooperation to maintain peace and stability in the region amidst the severe security environment," adding, "We reaffirmed our commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of permanent peace, and agreed to continue coordination between South Korea-Japan and South Korea-U.S.-Japan."
It is understood that the issue of signing a South Korea-Japan Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) was not included as an official agenda item during the talks.
However, as Japan has strongly desired and consistently requested the signing of an ACSA with South Korea, it is possible that the Japanese side raised the issue during the meeting.
This marks the sixth meeting between Minister Ahn and Defense Minister Koizumi, taking place about a month after their bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 30.
Defense Minister Koizumi arrived in South Korea yesterday for a two-day visit.
The visit is part of the shuttle defense diplomacy between the two countries' defense ministers, following Minister Ahn's visit to Japan in January.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.