Can South Korea, Japan forces train together? Joint drill denial reveals unresolved trauma
South Korea's categorical denial of Japanese media reports that it will conduct its first-ever joint military exercise with Japan highlights the ongoing challenges facing the two countries in strengthening military cooperation, despite growing threats from
North Korea and an increasingly assertive China, analysts say.
On Tuesday, major
Japanese news outlets reported that the South Korean Marine Corps would participate in a joint exercise with the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF) as part of Kamandag, an annual multinational military exercise in the Philippines scheduled for next month.
Kamandag – short for Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma ng Dagat, or 'Cooperation of the Warriors of the Sea' – is led by the
Philippine Marine Corps and the US Marine Corps.
However,
South Korea 's Marine Corps swiftly denied the reports.
'We will conduct combined drills with the United States and the Philippines, but there is no plan to do so with the JGSDF,' a defence ministry spokesman told This Week in Asia on Wednesday. 'As in previous years, the South Korean Marine Corps and the JGSDF will conduct separate exercises.'
South Korean marines take aim with their rifles after dashing out of an assault amphibious vehicle during a landing drill in Pohang, North Gyeongsang province, on April 28. Photo: EPA-EFE/Yonhap
A Marine Corp officer told Yonhap news agency: 'There won't be any scenario in which Korean marines and JGSDF troops share the same vessel.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
South Korea's president faces tough balancing act between allies, adversaries
Around six months after president Yoon Suk-yeol's ousting , Liberal Party candidate Lee Jae-myung was elected as South Korea's new president following a snap election on June 3. Lee's victory marks a significant political shift, not just in domestic governance, but also in how South Korea may seek to navigate its ever-worsening relations with North Korea. Advertisement In his inaugural address at the National Assembly, Lee stated his intention to deter military provocations from the North and also 'open a communication channel with North Korea and establish peace on the Korean peninsula'. However, initiating dialogue and establishing peace are easier said than done. North Korea's rejection of diplomatic overtures from Seoul, its declaration of South Korea as a ' principal enemy', confirmation of a constitutional amendment to declare South Korea a 'hostile' state and deepening of military ties with Russia all indicate a complete breakdown in relations. As he assumes office amid grave uncertainties, Lee has to contend with a hardened Pyongyang, which is no longer interested in cooperation with Seoul. Over the past few years, North Korea has upheld an increasingly assertive military posture, bolstered its nuclear capabilities and steadily developed weapons systems, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles , submarine-launched systems and short-range missiles to reinforce its narrative of deterrence through dominance. North Korea's strategic realignment has further exacerbated regional tensions. Pyongyang's military and strategic ties with Russia have grown significantly since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, with reports of arms transfers, the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia and visits by high-ranking officials. Advertisement
South China Morning Post
10 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
South China Sea: Beijing's 4 core principles held up as route to peace in disputed waters
A state-backed think tank has put forward China's 'four core principles' as a constructive framework for addressing disputes in the South China Sea , while blaming regional tensions on external actors who fuel rival claimants' actions and weaken the 'willingness for maritime cooperation'. 'China has long been committed to managing tensions and differences with disputing parties, and exercising great restraint in disputes', Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with state news agency Xinhua, said in a research report released on Sunday. China would uphold its four core principles, 'which have withstood the test of time' to transform the disputed waterway into a region of peace and cooperation, it added. According to the report, these principles are: resolving disputes through consultation on an equal footing, managing differences through rules-based co-management, achieving positive outcomes through mutually beneficial cooperation, and opposing interference from external forces while encouraging them to play a constructive role. China formally presented its blueprint for cooperation in the South China Sea in 2002 through an agreement with Asean. Beijing's expansive claims over the busy, resource-rich waters are contested by several member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, a US treaty ally. Since 2023, face-offs between Chinese and Philippine vessels in disputed waters have become more frequent, particularly near Scarborough Shoal, Second Thomas Shoal and, most recently, the Sandy Cay coral reef.
South China Morning Post
16 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Top banker tells Japan to keep diversity policies as Trump's crackdown deepens
The head of one of Japan 's largest investment banks used the Tokyo Pride parade to strike a rare public stance on pushing ahead with diversity initiatives, as US President Donald Trump seeks to abolish such policies. Few Japanese corporate executives have taken a clear position on US efforts to roll back the diversity, equity and inclusion policies that had become common at global corporations, though many firms appear to have quietly maintained their initiatives. 'Even if the US has adopted an anti-DEI policy, Japan should press ahead and make up for lost time rather than following suit,' said Akihiko Ogino, president and chief executive officer of Daiwa Securities Group Inc., before the start of the Tokyo Pride parade near the bustling Shibuya area. He was speaking on Sunday at his first visit to the Tokyo iteration of the global event that organisers describe as 'advocating LGBTQ rights and dignity'. Faced with a rapidly ageing and shrinking population, some Japanese firms have sought to bolster the pool of available workers by becoming more inclusive of different gender and sexual minorities, as well as women. Major financial firms including Nomura Holdings Inc., Goldman Sachs Inc. and Deutsche Bank AG are also among the sponsors of the event, according to its website. Companies around the world that do business in the US have faced a dilemma in dealing with the abrupt about-face on the issue.
