By Jun Ji-hye
South Korea and Japan signed a provisional deal, Monday, to directly exchange military intelligence about North Korea only two weeks after they resumed discussions, according to the Ministry of National Defense.
The signing took place despite fierce objections from the opposition parties while public attention is centered on a massive political scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil.
The opposition parties vowed to submit a motion soon for the dismissal of Defense Minister Han Min-koo.
The provisional deal was signed at the third round of working-level talks held in Tokyo, during which the two countries held a final review of the content of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).
"The two sides signed a provisional deal after confirming that there was no differing opinion regarding the content of the GSOMIA," the ministry said in a release. "The two will from now on go through the relevant procedures before formally signing the deal."
In Seoul, the issue will be brought in a vice-ministerial meeting and the Cabinet meeting before the ministry seeks to obtain the presidential determination on whether to sign an official deal, the ministry noted.
Seoul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already asked the Ministry of Government Legislation to examine the content.
Rep. Woo Sang-ho, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the ministry, saying, "I want to ask if the ministry is sane when pushing to sign a deal at this time when the nation has been in chaos."
He pointed out that the members of the public have already been angry at President Park's unilateral decisions to manage state affairs and consequent failures, but the ministry is again unilaterally pushing for the signing.
Once the official deal is signed, the pact would allow Seoul and Tokyo to directly share and exchange intelligence on the North's military activities related to its nuclear and missile programs. Currently, the two indirectly exchange such intelligence through Washington under a trilateral sharing pact signed at the end of 2014.
Since reopening the talks Nov. 1 in Tokyo, the second round of discussions took place in Seoul, Nov. 9, during which the two sides reviewed content of the agreement created in 2012.
In 2012, the two sides were about to sign the agreement under the Lee Myung-bak administration. However, this fell through at the last minute due to fierce public criticism here over the government's alleged clandestine attempts to sign a sensitive agreement with the former colonial ruler.
The ministry is now facing criticism that it has apparently shifted its existing position that it needs to obtain understanding from the public and the National Assembly first to resume discussions with Japan. Defense Minister Han earlier said "conditions" need to become mature first to sign the deal.
The ministry had maintained this position, apparently wary of public resistance stemming from the bitter memory of Tokyo's 1910-1945 colonial rule and Japanese soldiers using Korean women as sex slaves.
However, Han told reporters Monday that his earlier comment did not mean that the national consensus was a precondition for the deal.
"There are a number of matters involving the issue including military necessity, political issues and relations with Japan," he said. "Among them, the ministry determined that military necessity must be a priority."
Han also said that pushing for the signing of the agreement now was unrelated to the ongoing political scandal.
Regarding opposition parties' move to dismiss him, Han said he will take the consequences.
South Korea and Japan signed a provisional deal, Monday, to directly exchange military intelligence about North Korea only two weeks after they resumed discussions, according to the Ministry of National Defense.
The signing took place despite fierce objections from the opposition parties while public attention is centered on a massive political scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil.
The opposition parties vowed to submit a motion soon for the dismissal of Defense Minister Han Min-koo.
The provisional deal was signed at the third round of working-level talks held in Tokyo, during which the two countries held a final review of the content of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).
"The two sides signed a provisional deal after confirming that there was no differing opinion regarding the content of the GSOMIA," the ministry said in a release. "The two will from now on go through the relevant procedures before formally signing the deal."
In Seoul, the issue will be brought in a vice-ministerial meeting and the Cabinet meeting before the ministry seeks to obtain the presidential determination on whether to sign an official deal, the ministry noted.
Seoul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already asked the Ministry of Government Legislation to examine the content.
Rep. Woo Sang-ho, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, criticized the ministry, saying, "I want to ask if the ministry is sane when pushing to sign a deal at this time when the nation has been in chaos."
He pointed out that the members of the public have already been angry at President Park's unilateral decisions to manage state affairs and consequent failures, but the ministry is again unilaterally pushing for the signing.
Once the official deal is signed, the pact would allow Seoul and Tokyo to directly share and exchange intelligence on the North's military activities related to its nuclear and missile programs. Currently, the two indirectly exchange such intelligence through Washington under a trilateral sharing pact signed at the end of 2014.
Since reopening the talks Nov. 1 in Tokyo, the second round of discussions took place in Seoul, Nov. 9, during which the two sides reviewed content of the agreement created in 2012.
In 2012, the two sides were about to sign the agreement under the Lee Myung-bak administration. However, this fell through at the last minute due to fierce public criticism here over the government's alleged clandestine attempts to sign a sensitive agreement with the former colonial ruler.
The ministry is now facing criticism that it has apparently shifted its existing position that it needs to obtain understanding from the public and the National Assembly first to resume discussions with Japan. Defense Minister Han earlier said "conditions" need to become mature first to sign the deal.
The ministry had maintained this position, apparently wary of public resistance stemming from the bitter memory of Tokyo's 1910-1945 colonial rule and Japanese soldiers using Korean women as sex slaves.
However, Han told reporters Monday that his earlier comment did not mean that the national consensus was a precondition for the deal.
"There are a number of matters involving the issue including military necessity, political issues and relations with Japan," he said. "Among them, the ministry determined that military necessity must be a priority."
Han also said that pushing for the signing of the agreement now was unrelated to the ongoing political scandal.
Regarding opposition parties' move to dismiss him, Han said he will take the consequences.
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