▲ South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo (2nd from R), South Korean Vice Minister of National Defense Lee Doo-hee (R), Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi (2nd from L) and Japanese Vice Defense Minister Koji Kano pose for a photo ahead of their security talks in Seoul on May 7, 2026. (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) S Korea-Japan-security talks

(2nd LD) S. Korea, Japan hold 1st vice ministerial-level '2+2' security talks

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with meeting details)

SEOUL, May 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Japan held their first "two-plus-two" vice-ministerial talks between their foreign and defense ministries in Seoul on Thursday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on a range of security issues of mutual interest, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

The security policy consultation between the two countries' foreign and defense authorities had previously been held at the director-general level but has been upgraded to the vice-ministerial level for the first time this year.

First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo and Vice Minister of National Defense Lee Doo-hee attended the meeting. From Japan, Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi and Vice Defense Minister Koji Kano also participated, according to the ministry.

During the talks, the two sides called for sustaining the momentum of cooperation between their diplomatic and defense authorities, noting the active "shuttle diplomacy" between their countries' leaders, the ministry said in a release.

The two sides also confirmed their shared view on the "increasingly grave" international situation and the growing importance of bilateral cooperation, as well as trilateral cooperation with the United States, and agreed to maintain communication for their development, it said.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is mulling visiting South Korea later this month for summit talks with President Lee Jae Myung, following Lee's visit to Takaichi's hometown of Nara in January.

Seoul and Tokyo launched the bilateral security consultation in 1998. Since then, the talks have been suspended and resumed amid fluctuations in bilateral relations.

The previous meeting was held in Tokyo in November 2024.

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