S. Korea not considering military logistics support pact with Japan: defense ministry

From right, South Korean Vice Minister of National Defense Lee Doo-hee, South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi and Japanese Vice Defense Minister Koji Kano pose in Seoul, Thursday, as they hold their first "two-plus-two" vice-ministerial talks between their foreign and defense ministries to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on a range of security issues of mutual interest. Yonhap

South Korea is not considering signing a bilateral military logistics support agreement with Japan, a defense ministry official said Friday, following a report suggesting Tokyo seeks to push for such a deal.

Japan aims to make progress in future talks with South Korea for an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement (ACSA), following their "two plus two" security meeting of defense and foreign vice ministers that took place in Seoul on Thursday, according to Yomiuri Shimbun.

An ACSA is a bilateral pact between the United States and its allies on facilitating the sharing of logistics supplies and services, such as food, fuel and transportation, during contingencies.

"We are not considering the signing of an ACSA between South Korea and Japan," a defense ministry official said.

"The South Korean government continues to pursue stable and future-oriented defense exchanges and cooperation with Japan based on mutual respect and trust," the official said.

Tokyo is seeking to sign an ACSA with Seoul between their militaries as a way to enhance bilateral military coordination and also trilaterally with the U.S., their mutual ally.

It also expects such a move would provide a framework for stronger deterrence against North Korean threats and possible military provocations from China.

But Seoul has been cautious about the issue largely due to concerns that it could potentially allow Japan's Self-Defense Forces to engage in operations on the Korean Peninsula.

Thorny wartime history issues stemming from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea are also cited as a factor behind Seoul's guarded approach to the matter.

Thursday's two-plus-two security talks marked the first such high-level meeting elevated from the director-general-level dialogue launched in 1998.

Seoul's foreign ministry said after the talks the two sides agreed to continue to strengthen coordination, sharing the view on the growing importance of bilateral cooperation and trilateral partnership with the United States.

Seoul and Tokyo are in talks to arrange a visit by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to South Korea in mid-May to hold a summit with Lee, according to diplomatic sources.

They are also discussing a potential trip to Seoul in June by Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, sources said.