Seoul ends military agreement with Japan

Kim You-geun, deputy director of Cheong Wa Dae's National Security Office, announces a decision to scrap an agreement with Japan on sharing military intelligence, Thursday afternoon. Yonhap

By Do Je-hae, Kim Yoo-chul

In a stunning move that could further worsen already deteriorating ties between South Korea and Japan, the government announced Thursday that it was scrapping a military-intelligence sharing pact with Tokyo.

"South Korea tried to resolve trade friction via open dialogue; but Japan didn't respond. Japan removed South Korea from its list of trusted trading partners without providing a clear reason as to why. These actions have resulted in a grave change in security cooperation between the two countries. Maintaining the military agreement is against South Korea's national interests," Kim You-geun, deputy director of the presidential National Security Office (NSO), said in a press briefing Thursday.

Kim added that Seoul would notify Tokyo of the decision via diplomatic channels before the deadline for the automatic extension of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).

The military pact, signed by the two countries in November 2016, allows the two key Asian U.S. allies to share sensitive information on missile threats from North Korea. The pact is renewed automatically annually unless one of the countries decides to withdraw from it.

Cheong Wa Dae underlined that it had conducted a comprehensive review of bilateral relations before making the decision, underlining that Japan's rigid position amid the escalating trade tension made it difficult to continue with the military agreement.

"We have tried multiple times to resolve the issue in a constructive manner but Japan has not responded at all," a presidential aide said during a separate background briefing. "We twice sent envoys to seek a diplomatic resolution, but Japan refused to respond. It showed no change in its attitude during the Korea-Japan foreign ministers' meeting in Beijing or the Aug. 15 presidential message on Liberation Day," the aide said, adding Seoul had "seriously considered" extending the GSOMIA if Tokyo had responded to its efforts.

Tokyo's removal of South Korea from its "whitelist" of preferential trade partners ― which potentially triggered the government's action ― will take effect Aug. 28.

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The announcement came after an NSO meeting at Cheong Wa Dae ahead of the deadline to notify Japan of Seoul's position on an extension.

Upon her arrival from a meeting with foreign ministers of China and Japan, Thursday, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told reporters the decision was an issue separate from the alliance between South Korea and the United States.

"South Korea's decision to scrap the GSOMIA pact with Japan won't impact on the already strong alliance with the United States. Seoul's cooperation with Washington will continue to be strengthened as the withdrawal is a matter of trust between South Korea and Japan," Kang said.

Japan has yet to announce an official response, however, it protested the decision via diplomatic channels immediately after the announcement, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and two minor opposition parties including the progressive Justice Party welcomed the decision, while the main opposition Liberty Korea Party decried it.

"The DPK views the decision as an effort by Cheong Wa Dae to prioritize the South Korea-United States alliance. In order to maintain a stronger alliance with Washington, it's inevitable for us to maintain a stern position against Japan," DPK spokesman Lee Hae-shik told reporters in a briefing at the National Assembly. He added that the ruling party will be open for dialogue with Japan if the Shinzo Abe administration signals a wish to negotiate.

"We are sorry about Cheong Wa Dae's decision. Keeping the GSOMIA was necessary for South Korea to maintain military cooperation with Japan and the United States amid the growing security challenges on the Korean Peninsula," LKP spokeswoman Jun Hee-kyung said.

There has been intense media focus on whether Seoul would renew the GSOMIA as it was seen as an indication of how it plans to proceed in the ongoing trade with Japan. This began when Tokyo imposed export restrictions on the export of materials crucial for Korea's high-tech industry early last month.

Bilateral tension peaked when this was followed by the removal of Korea from its whitelist of countries given preferential treatment in customs procedures due to "security concerns," despite President Moon Jae-in's strong warning against the move.

The announcement to discontinue GSOMIA was all the more surprising given that representatives from Seoul and Washington, which has urged Korea to retain the deal, discussed the issue earlier in the day. NSO deputy head Kim met with Stephen Beigun, the U.S. special representative on North Korea, at the central government complex in Seoul. The U.S. has underlined the importance of the agreement as a core instrument of trilateral security cooperation to counter North Korea's continued provocations.

Bilateral tension is expected to go out of control after Tokyo expressed deep concern about Seoul's decision not to extend the bilateral pact. Japan sought an extension despite the ongoing trade friction between the two countries.