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At Last Minute, South Korea Holds Off on Leaving Intelligence Pact With Japan At Last Minute, South Korea Holds Off on Leaving Intelligence Pact With Japan
(32 minutes later)
TOKYO — In a sign that relations between Japan and South Korea might be improving after months of escalating tensions, Seoul decided at the last minute on Friday to temporarily extend a military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan that South Korea had vowed to abandon in August.TOKYO — In a sign that relations between Japan and South Korea might be improving after months of escalating tensions, Seoul decided at the last minute on Friday to temporarily extend a military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan that South Korea had vowed to abandon in August.
South Korea’s planned withdrawal from the three-year-old pact was set to go into effect by midnight Friday. Just hours before the deadline, officials decided to reverse their dramatic decision for now and conveyed their intentions to the Japanese government. The reversal comes on the eve of a meeting of Group of 20 foreign ministers in Nagoya, Japan. South Korea’s planned withdrawal from the three-year-old pact — a serious rupture between two close American allies — was set to go into effect by midnight Friday. Just hours before the deadline, officials decided to reverse their dramatic decision for now. The reversal comes on the eve of a meeting of Group of 20 foreign ministers in Nagoya, Japan.
South Korea took the action as Japan announced it would resume talks that have been suspended since 2016 with South Korean counterparts to discuss export controls. Tokyo had imposed trade restrictions on South Korean products and removed it from a list of favored trading partners as the tensions escalated. Seoul took the action as Japan announced it would resume talks with South Korea over export controls. Tokyo had imposed trade restrictions on South Korean products and removed it from a list of favored trading partners as the tensions escalated.
The United States had pushed the two nations to enter into the pact in 2016 in part to ensure tight monitoring of North Korea’s missile activity. And in the weeks leading up to South Korea’s planned withdrawal, American officials had lobbied Seoul to remain. The move on the intelligence-sharing agreement came as American officials had intensified their lobbying of Seoul to remain in the pact, which the two nations entered into in 2016 in part to ensure tighter monitoring of North Korea’s missile program.
Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper visited Seoul and publicly exhorted his South Korean counterpart to stay in the pact, known as the General Security of Military Information Agreement, or GSOMIA.Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper visited Seoul and publicly exhorted his South Korean counterpart to stay in the pact, known as the General Security of Military Information Agreement, or GSOMIA.
Japanese officials had also encouraged South Korea to remain in the pact, urging Seoul to make a “wise decision.” Japanese officials had also encouraged South Korea to remain in the pact, urging Seoul to make a “wise decision.” But on Friday, Yoichi Iida, a Japanese trade official, insisted that Japan’s action on the trade front was not linked to the extension of the intelligence-sharing agreement.
“We did not compromise,” he said.
Intelligence sharing between Japan and South Korea allows both countries to swap information about North Korean missile launches as well as information about assertive military actions by China. Washington strongly supports the agreement as a pillar of stability in the region.Intelligence sharing between Japan and South Korea allows both countries to swap information about North Korean missile launches as well as information about assertive military actions by China. Washington strongly supports the agreement as a pillar of stability in the region.
Seoul’s initial decision in August to leave the pact came as disagreements with deep historical roots flared between the two countries, pushing ties to their lowest point in years.Seoul’s initial decision in August to leave the pact came as disagreements with deep historical roots flared between the two countries, pushing ties to their lowest point in years.
Japanese officials imposed trade restrictions early that month targeting exports to South Korea, and took further action against Seoul by removing it from a list of trusted trade partners. South Korea said the Japanese trade restrictions were aimed at pressuring it to resolve outstanding disputes over the legacy of Japan’s occupation of the Korean Peninsula. Seoul responded with its own trade actions against Tokyo, before sending the tensions to a peak by announcing its intention to leave the military agreement.
South Korea said the restrictions were aimed at pressuring it to resolve outstanding disputes over the legacy of Japan’s occupation of the Korean Peninsula. Seoul responded with its own trade actions against Tokyo, before sending the tensions to a peak by announcing its intention to leave the military agreement. At the time, Kim You-geun, first deputy chief of South Korea’s National Security Council, said the trade restrictions imposed by Japan had “caused an important change in security-related cooperation between the two countries,” adding that staying in the pact “does not conform with our national interest.”
At the time, Kim You-geun, first deputy chief of South Korea’s National Security Council, said the trade restrictions imposed by Japan had “caused an important change in security-related cooperation between the two countries,” adding that staying in the pact “does not conform with our national interest.”
Choe Sang-Hun contributed reporting from Seoul, South Korea.Choe Sang-Hun contributed reporting from Seoul, South Korea.