Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, and President of S. Korea, Moon Jae-in. (Image via The Straits Times)

Abe - Moon meeting is a good signal: U.S official

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Politics & Economic
News Flash Japan
Nov 07, 2019
1230
The United States, as an ally of Japan and South Korea (S. Korea), hailed the sudden summit, held on Monday this week, between the two leaders of the nations.

The President of S. Korea, Moon Jae-in, met with Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, during the ASEAN Summit held in Bangkok, Thailand. The sudden meeting was their first meeting since the summit on the sidelines of the United Nations (U.N) General Assembly, September 2018. It was seen as the latest effort by both countries to resolve the wartime dispute between them.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific, David Stilwell, stated the compliments for Japan and S. Korea during his visit to Seoul before the expiration of the military agreement between Japan and S. Korea.

Due to the blacklisting actions between Japan and S. Korea, Seoul threatened to end the military agreement between the nations if Tokyo still imposes export restrictions on the country. The Japan – S. Korea military agreement is set to expire in late November.

The U.S government has been urging its two Asian allies to reconcile to protect trilateral cooperation between Washington, Tokyo, and Seoul, to monitor North Korea's (N. Korea) projectile activities and suppress China’s growing influence.

In Seoul, Stilwell met S. Korea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kang Kyung-wha. Stilwell said that the summit means the reconciliation of past disputes during WWII. While meeting with the Foreign Ministers, Kang also explained how Seoul struggles to deescalate the bilateral feud with Tokyo.

Not only the Foreign Minister but also Stilwell met Deputy Chief of South Korea's Presidential National Security Office, Kim Hyun-chong.

During their meeting, Stilwell and Kim discussed the extension of the military agreement between Tokyo and Seoul and the cost-sharing between Washington and Seoul on the dispatch of the U.S troops in S. Korea.

Regarding the Japan – S. Korea military pact, Kim revealed that a “constructive and future-oriented” talk has been held for the agreement. The rest of the discussion between Stilwell and Kim was classified.

Source: https://bit.ly/2WQe5mJ