South Korea set to terminate intelligence-sharing pact with Japan

South Korea has announced that it would scrap a key intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, a decision that could escalate a dispute over trade and undercut security cooperation on North Korea.

Kim You-geun, the first deputy chief of South Korea’s National Security Council (NSC), said during a press briefing in Seoul on Thursday that the South had chosen to terminate the intelligence-sharing deal because trade restrictions had “caused an important change in security-related cooperation between the two countries.”

He went on to say that Japan created a “grave change” in the environment for bilateral security cooperation by removing South Korea’s fast-track export status.

“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 noted.

The decision was announced after an hour-long discussion within the NSC and South Korean President Moon Jae-in approved it.

The General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), inked in November 2016, allows the two US allies to share sensitive information on perceived missile threats from North Korea, among other things. It is automatically renewed annually unless one of the countries decides to pull the plug.

The end of the intelligence-sharing pact marks a fresh low point in relations between the two neighbors. Tokyo-Seoul ties have been highly strained recently over trade and historical issues. 

Japan protests against South Korea's scrapping of pact

Reacting to the move, Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono said in a statement that Tokyo "strongly" protested against South Korea's decision to scrap the pact, calling the move "extremely regrettable".

"I have to say the decision to end the pact by the South Korean government is a complete misjudgment of the current regional security environment and it is extremely regrettable," the statement read.

"We cannot accept the claims by the South Korean side and we will strongly protest against the South Korean government," Kono noted.

Tokyo has already summoned the South Korean ambassador to protest the withdrawal from the pact

SS