Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has denounced South Korea's decision to end an intelligence-sharing

News24xx.com -  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has denounced South Korea's decision to end an intelligence-sharing pact between the two countries, saying such action "damages trust" with Tokyo.

"Japan will urge South Korea to recover trust between us, including resolving the matter of violation of the international treaty between Japan and South Korea and hope South Korea will keep their promise," Abe said on Friday, as relations between the two Asian neighbours and US allies continue to deteriorate.

Tokyo summoned on Friday morning the South Korean ambassador in protest of the decision to end the pact, which is due for automatic renewal on Saturday.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono also criticised Seoul for what he said was mixing the export controls with security issues.

"Given such issues as North Korea, everyone probably understands the importance of this agreement. But this decision was made while linking it to Japan's review of export controls," he told reporters. "I cannot help saying they are completely misreading the security environment."

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya called the move "extremely regrettable".

The General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) was designed to share information on the threat posed by Pyongyang and its missile and nuclear activities - a threat underlined by the North's recent launch of a series of short-range ballistic missiles.

On Thursday, South Korea said it was ending an intelligence-sharing agreement with Japan, further straining ties between Seoul and Tokyo amid a disputed over compensation for forced South Koreans labourers during World War II Two.

South Korea's Kim You-geun, a deputy director of the presidential National Security Council, said Japan had created a "grave change" in the environment for bilateral security cooperation by removing South Korea's fast-track export status this month.

"Under this situation, we have determined that it would not serve our national interest to maintain an agreement we signed with the aim of exchanging military information which is sensitive to security," Kim told a news conference.

Relations between South Korea and Japan began to deteriorate late last year following a diplomatic row over compensation for wartime forced labourers during Japan's occupation of Korea.

They soured further when Japan tightened its curbs on exports of hi-tech materials needed by South Korea's chip industry, and again this month when Tokyo said it would remove South Korea's fast-track export status.

 

 

 

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