Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-Back inspect honor guards during a welcoming ceremony before their meeting at the Defense Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, 28 June 2026. Photo by KIM HONG-JI / EPA
June 28 (Asia Today) — The defense chiefs of South Korea and Japan agreed Sunday to expand cooperation in artificial intelligence, maritime search and rescue operations and other security fields while reaffirming their commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi also pledged to continue bilateral defense cooperation and three-way coordination with the United States, according to a joint statement issued after their meeting in Seoul.
The two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to establishing lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and agreed that cooperation should continue to preserve regional peace and stability amid an increasingly difficult security environment.
Koizumi arrived in South Korea on Saturday for a two-day visit. It marked the first visit by a Japanese defense minister primarily for bilateral talks since 2015.
The ministers agreed to regularize reciprocal visits and meetings, effectively restoring shuttle diplomacy between the two countries’ defense authorities.
They also welcomed the resumption of a bilateral maritime search and rescue exercise for the first time in about nine years and discussions between defense officials on cooperation involving artificial intelligence.
The two countries agreed to further develop the search and rescue exercise to prepare for a wider range of maritime emergencies.
They also plan to continue discussions on cooperation in AI and other advanced science and technology fields.
Ahn and Koizumi agreed to expand exchanges between South Korea’s Black Eagles and Japan’s Blue Impulse, the two countries’ military aerobatic teams.
South Korea’s Black Eagles received refueling support at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s Naha Air Base in Okinawa in January while traveling to a defense exhibition in Saudi Arabia.
It was the first time the Japanese service had provided refueling support to a South Korean Air Force aircraft.
Koizumi visited the Black Eagles unit at Wonju Air Base in Gangwon Province on Saturday and met with members of the team.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the cooperation does not mean that Japanese refueling support for South Korean military aircraft will become a regular arrangement.
A proposed acquisition and cross-servicing agreement between the two countries was not formally included on Sunday’s agenda, according to officials.
Such an agreement would allow the two militaries to provide each other with logistical supplies and services, including fuel, food and ammunition.
Japan has repeatedly expressed interest in concluding the agreement with South Korea. Officials said it was possible that the issue was discussed informally despite its exclusion from the official agenda.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has acknowledged the potential need for such an agreement but has said unresolved historical issues between South Korea and Japan limit Seoul’s ability to accept it.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry also has recognized the need to consider the agreement while emphasizing that public sentiment must be taken into account.
Sunday’s meeting came less than a month after Ahn and Koizumi met May 30 on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
Koizumi’s trip was part of efforts to establish regular reciprocal visits between the countries’ defense chiefs.
During his stay, Koizumi paid respects at Seoul National Cemetery and visited the Black Eagles unit.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260629010009828