South Korea and Japan agreed Sunday to broaden defense cooperation through expanded military exchanges, search-and-rescue exercises and collaboration on artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies, as Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back hosted Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in Seoul for their sixth meeting. The two sides reaffirmed plans to regularize ministerial meetings and reciprocal visits, deepen exchanges between the Black Eagles and Blue Impulse aerobatic teams, continue cooperation toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and maintain close South Korea-Japan and trilateral coordination with the U.S.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun reinforcedthe political context surrounding the expanding defense relationship