S. Korean, Japanese vice ministers pledge close cooperation on Putin-Kim treaty

South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun (right) and Japanese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Okano Masataka shake hands during the 15th Korea-Japan Vice-Ministerial Strategic Dialogue held in Tokyo on Friday. (South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

South Korean and Japanese vice foreign ministers on Friday pledged close cooperation to address the Russia-North Korea treaty aimed at enhancing military cooperation, while also agreeing to strengthen coordination on Indo-Pacific regional and global issues, according to the Foreign Ministry in Seoul.

South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun met with his Japanese counterpart Masataka Okano in Tokyo for the 14th Korea-Japan Vice-Ministerial Strategic Dialogue, the first such meeting since October 2023.

The meeting took place just a week after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a treaty to elevate their relationship on June 19 to a comprehensive strategic partnership, strengthening both military and economic cooperation.

Kim and Okano held in-depth discussions on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including North Korean affairs, as well as regional and global matters, according to South Korea's Foreign Ministry.

The two vice ministers expressed "grave concern" over the agreement between Russia and North Korea to strengthen military cooperation, noting that such actions violate UN Security Council resolutions and "pose a threat to regional and global security."

"The two vice ministers reaffirmed the agreement made during the telephone consultation between the South Korean and Japanese foreign ministers on June 20 to maintain close cooperation (on the matter)," the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said.

"Amid severe security challenges, including North Korea's attempts to conduct complex provocations, both agreed on the necessity of strong trilateral coordination among South Korea, Japan, and the United States, as well as solidarity with the international community to deter North Korean threats," it added.

Kim and Okano also pledged to enhance "closer coordination between Korea and Japan, which share the values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law," on regional issues in the Indo-Pacific and global matters, including the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The two vice foreign ministers also discussed major issues between the two countries including Japan's attempts to recognize gold and silver mines on the island of Sado, where Koreans were forced to work during World War II, as a World Heritage site.

Both also "committed to working together to sustain the momentum for the development of bilateral ties," the Foreign Ministry said.

Kim and Okanobilateral relations "have progressed in a future-oriented direction, with visible improvements across various fields such as diplomacy, economy, culture, and people-to-people exchanges."

Both also "welcomed the tangible improvements in Korea-Japan relations across various sectors that are being felt by the citizens of both countries," according to Seoul.

"Both ministers also committed to close cooperation between the two countries to elevate bilateral ties to a higher level in celebration of the 60th anniversary of normalizing diplomatic relations next year," South Korea's Foreign Ministry said.

The Korea-Japan Vice-Ministerial Strategic Dialogue, established in 2005 to improve cooperation on regional and global issues, was held 13 times until 2014. After a nine-year hiatus due to strained relations, the dialogue resumed in 2023, following an agreement between the two countries' leaders.

By Ji Da-gyum(dagyumji@heraldcorp.com)