South Korea and Japan Expand Defense Ties in Seoul

South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met in Seoul on June 28, 2026, for the sixth round of bilateral talks. The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the maintenance of regional stability through trilateral coordination with the United States.

The two nations agreed to expand joint search-and-rescue exercises between the South Korean Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. They also committed to deepening exchanges between their respective aerobatic teams, the Black Eagles and Blue Impulse. Cooperation will extend into advanced science and technology, specifically artificial intelligence, and defense equipment following Tokyo's April revision of equipment transfer rules.

During the visit, the ministers toured the Black Eagles unit in Gangwon Province. Discussions included regional threats, such as joint Chinese and Russian military flights over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea. Japan further sought a military logistics support pact, though South Korea remains cautious due to historical tensions regarding colonial rule and territorial disputes over the Dokdo/Takeshima islands.

This diplomatic alignment comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to expand his nuclear arsenal and equip the navy with nuclear weapons. The strengthening ties are part of a broader security trend maintained by President Lee Jae Myung and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, which has been encouraged by the United States.