Seoul: In an unusual move, South Korea stressed the importance of its security cooperation not only with the United States but also with Japan, when announcing short-range ballistic missile launches by North Korea on Monday.

The South Korean military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that it will maintain a solid response posture based on security cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan.

Returning from his trip to Germany, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin told reporters at Incheon International Airport near Seoul that the more provocations North Korea conducts, the deeper the security cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan will become.

In response to North Korea’s frequent missile launches last year, the administration of South Korea President Yoon Suk-yeol stepped up joint military drills with Japan and the United States.

In November, the leaders of Japan, the United States and South Korea agreed that their countries will aim for the immediate sharing of information about North Korean missiles, a trilateral summit that was partly designed to address growing threat from Pyongyang.

By highlighting its commitment to security cooperation with Japan in the face of provocations by North Korea, the South Korean government aims to increase momentum for improving ties with Japan, sources familiar with the matter said.

Tokyo and Seoul have yet to resolve their wartime labor issue as South Korean plaintiffs suing Japanese companies over the matter oppose a proposal from the Yoon administration for a resolution.

Park said that while Japan and South Korea have narrowed differences over the issue, there are still points that need to be discussed.

The Yoon administration is making utmost efforts to improve ties with Japan, Park said, adding Soul wants Tokyo to react accordingly.

JIJI Press