Seoul, Nov 18 (V7N) – The South Korean Navy has informed Japan that it will not participate in a scheduled joint search and rescue exercise with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, citing recent diplomatic disputes between the two countries.

The exercise, originally planned for this month, was intended to strengthen maritime cooperation and coordinate rescue operations between the two nations. Similar joint exercises were conducted ten times between 1999 and 2017 but were suspended following a 2018 incident in which a South Korean destroyer directed its fire-control radar at a Japanese patrol aircraft.

The South Korean withdrawal is widely believed to be linked to Japan’s cancellation of planned refueling support for a South Korean Air Force aircraft earlier this month. The cancellation followed reports that the aircraft had flown around the Takeshima islets in Shimane Prefecture, a sensitive territorial area claimed by both nations.

In addition, the South Korean military band declined to participate in the Self-Defense Forces Marching Festival in Tokyo, which took place from Thursday to Saturday. A Japanese defense official suggested these actions reflect South Korea’s need to consider domestic public opinion, which remains highly sensitive to relations with Japan.

Despite these setbacks, both sides emphasized the importance of maintaining strong bilateral ties, especially in the context of regional security challenges, including North Korea’s advancing nuclear and missile programs and its growing military cooperation with Russia. Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi expressed that the cancellations “will not create distance” between the two countries and reaffirmed a commitment to continued cooperation. A South Korean official echoed this sentiment, expressing hope that the exercise’s postponement “will mark the end of this series of issues.”

Japan and South Korea had agreed in June last year to resume defense exchanges under the conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration in South Korea, a trend that has continued under the left-leaning President Lee Jae Myung, who took office in June this year.

Officials confirmed that the joint exercise will be rescheduled, emphasizing the importance of maintaining communication and allowing a cooling-off period to prevent further diplomatic friction.

END/WD/SMA/