Authorities in South Korea and Japan agreed Tuesday to revive an agreement to exchange information on military matters as part of measures put in place to boost cooperation and thaw relations often stalled by historical disputes.
The South Korean government has sent the Japanese government a letter confirming the full reactivation of the General Security Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) between the two countries.
The pact dates back to 2016 and has been seen as a symbol of the cooperation, albeit brief, between Seoul and Tokyo before the administration of now former South Korean President Moon Jae In decided to end the agreement in 2019 in protest against a series of export restrictions introduced by Japan.
This suspension was later reversed, but the amount of military information to be exchanged was limited as the parties remained embroiled in a series of disputes.
South Korean Foreign Ministry sources told Yonhap news agency that the move responds to the »reality» in the area due to the growing threat from North Korea, which will also encourage greater information exchange with the United States.
»The defense ministries of South Korea and Japan will accelerate cooperation as necessary as North Korea threatens missiles and nuclear weapons,» they said.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
