S. Korea, Japan reaffirm security cooperation amid Sado mine row

SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Yonhap) — South Korea and Japan held a joint meeting of senior diplomats and defense officials Friday and reaffirmed the importance of their security cooperation, Seoul’s foreign ministry said, despite a controversy over Japan’s memorial ceremony for Korean wartime forced labor victims.

In the director general-level policy consultations held in Tokyo, both sides shared assessments of the regional security environment and exchanged views on bilateral security cooperation as well as their trilateral cooperation, also involving the United States, the ministry said in a release.

“Both sides concurred that bilateral security cooperation is indispensable in responding to the stern regional and international political situation, prompted by North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia,” the ministry said.

They also agreed to advance the cooperation based on a “mutual understanding” of each other’s defense and security policies, it added.

The talks were seen as apparent efforts to seek collaboration as strategic partners amid North Korea’s military threats and deepening military cooperation with Russia.

Friday’s meeting came amid a controversy over a memorial ceremony honoring Korean victims of wartime forced labor at the UNESCO-listed Sado mine complex in Japan.

Seoul boycotted the first memorial service held on Sunday, citing a lack of sincerity from Japan in properly honoring Korean victims.

The director general-level policy consultations, launched in 1998, have taken place on and off, depending on bilateral ties.

The previous meeting took place in Seoul in April last year, resuming after a five-hear hiatus as bilateral ties soured over historic disputes.