South Korea-Japan Vice Defense Ministers Hold Talks in Japan... "Reaffirm Close Coordination to Counter North Korea's Nuclear and Missile Threats"

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said on Oct. 9 that Vice Minister Lee Doohee visited Japan on Oct. 8-9, paid a courtesy call on Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi, and held talks with Atsushi Ando, Japan's Defense Councilor (vice-ministerial level).

Vice Minister of National Defense Lee Duhee shakes hands with Japanese Defense Counselor Ando Atsushi during the Korea-Japan vice-ministerial defense talks at the 2026 Seoul Defense Dialogue, held at The Grand Lotte Seoul, on Sept. 8, 2026. [Provided by the Ministry of National Defense. No resale or database use permitted] photo@yna.co.kr (End) Yonhap News

The visit was a return trip following an invitation from Ando, who visited South Korea for the Korea-Japan Security Policy Consultation in May and the Seoul Defense Dialogue last month.

The ministry said the South Korean and Japanese vice defense ministers, meeting at Japan's Ministry of Defense, reaffirmed the importance of close coordination between South Korea and Japan and among South Korea, the United States and Japan to counter North Korea's increasingly sophisticated nuclear and missile threats amid rapidly changing international circumstances and a grave security environment on the Korean Peninsula.

They also agreed to steadily advance future-oriented defense exchanges and cooperation between South Korea and Japan, including in advanced science and technology fields such as artificial intelligence (AI) and unmanned systems.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.