South Korea and Japan have been at loggerheads for months over cultural, economic and political issues. However, the North Korean threat is forcing them to talk. Both countries are ready to share intelligence information on North Korea.
Seoul (AsiaNews) – The ballistic missiles launched by North Korea into the Sea of Japan are forcing Tokyo and Seoul to patch up things.
The two countries have been at loggerheads for a few months. Economic competition, cultural and historical clashes (over, among other things, comfort women) and political differences have driven the two governments apart. However, in the light of the North Korean threat, the two are talking to each other again.
Last May South Korea unilaterally scraped the General Security of Military Information Agreement signed several years ago. Yesterday, Tokyo offered an olive branch.
“The pact itself will be effective until late November so there is no reason for us to refuse (to provide information),” a senior Japanese government official said.
The United States appears to be behind the sudden change of tone. Japan’s Defence Minister Taro Kono spoke to his US counterpart, Mark Esper, over the phone.
In a statement, the two agreed that cooperation among the two countries and South Korea is important in dealing with matters related to North Korea’s latest missile test.