S. Korea pushes to restore defense policy dialogue with Japan

S Korea-Japan-dialogue

S. Korea pushes to restore defense policy dialogue with Japan

SEOUL, July 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is seeking to restore a bilateral working-level defense policy dialogue with Japan that has been stalled since 2018 amid stand-offs between the two countries, an informed source said Monday.

The move comes as the Yoon Suk-yeol administration has vowed to foster a "future-oriented" partnership with Tokyo despite prolonged diplomatic rows stemming largely from Japan's 1910-45 colonization of the Korean Peninsula. It has stated a commitment to stronger trilateral security cooperation also involving the United States.

"(South Korea) is trying to restore the director general-level dialogue suspended since late 2018," the source told Yonhap News Agency over the phone, requesting anonymity.

Bilateral defense-related exchanges have markedly dwindled since Japan's maritime patrol aircraft conducted a menacing low-altitude flyby over a South Korean warship, accusing the vessel of having locked its fire-control radar on the plane, in December 2018.

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