South Korea, the U.S., and Japan will operate a real-time sharing system of North Korean ballistic missile warning information within this year.
According to the Ministry of National Defense on the 3rd, Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada attended the 20th Asian Security Conference (Shangri-La Dialogue) in Singapore. The defense ministers held a meeting and issued a joint press release containing these contents.
In a press release, the Ministry of National Defense said, “The three ministers decided to activate a missile warning information sharing mechanism in real time within this year to enhance each country’s ability to detect and evaluate missiles launched by North Korea.”
At the summit held on November 13 last year, South Korea, the U.S. and Japan agreed to share information on North Korean missile warnings in real time.
In order to realize this agreement, Korea, the U.S. and Japan decided to make the most of the existing system, including the Information Sharing Agreement (TISA).
A plan for the US Indo-Pacific Command to collect information on missiles detected by South Korea and Japan based on TISA and serve as a hub for sending information back to each country along with the information detected by the US is being discussed.
Minister Lee met with reporters after the meeting and said, “In particular, regarding real-time sharing of warning information on North Korean missiles, we have linked the information sharing systems currently in operation between the US and Japan to operate within this year.” I will go,” he said.
When a system for sharing North Korean missile warning information in real time is put into operation, the capabilities of the three countries to analyze and respond to the specifications of North Korean missiles are expected to be further strengthened.
The defense ministers of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan have also decided to expand joint exercises among the three countries against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
The Ministry of National Defense said, “We reaffirmed our promise to promptly resume maritime interdiction drills and anti-piracy drills, and decided to additionally identify areas where trilateral cooperation can be expanded, such as disaster response and humanitarian assistance.” We promised to regularize defensive exercises such as drills and maritime missile defense drills.”
On that day, the defense ministers of the U.S., Japan and South Korea agreed to resume maritime interdiction drills and anti-piracy drills, which had been suspended since 2018, within this year, continue missile defense drills and anti-submarine warfare drills that had already resumed, and make these drills regular, according to a Ministry of National Defense official.
In addition, they agreed to identify training that the three countries can do together, such as humanitarian assistance training in response to disasters and training in response to non-traditional threats, and to conduct training in a predictable and efficient manner by making an annual plan for all training. do.
Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop, who is attending the Asian Security Conference (Shangri-La Dialogue), poses for a commemorative photo with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada prior to the ROK-US-Japan Defense Ministers’ Meeting held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore on the 3rd (local time). are doing From right, Defense Minister Lee Jong-seop, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada. joint coverageIn the midst of this, the defense ministers of Korea, the U.S. and Japan “strongly condemn” North Korea’s launch of a “space launch vehicle” (military reconnaissance satellite) as “launching a long-range ballistic missile in the name of a satellite,” while calling on the international community to curb North Korea’s launch of space launch vehicles and illegal maritime transfers. It urged the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions to prevent
On the 31st of last month, North Korea launched a rocket “Chollima-1” equipped with a space launch vehicle “Manri-gyeong-1” from the Seohae Satellite Launching Station in Dongchang-ri, Cheolsan-gun, North Pyongan Province, but failed to put the satellite into orbit.
The first-stage propellant of the Chollima Type 1 was normally separated, but the second-stage propellant failed, drawing an abnormal flight trajectory and falling into the sea about 200 km west of Eocheong Island in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province. Our military is in the process of salvaging the two-stage projectile propellant object.
North Korea asserted that the projectile launch was their ‘autonomous right’ and predicted a ‘second launch within a short period of time’. It is a violation of the Security Council resolution banning all launches of aircraft that have been used.
The defense ministers of Korea, the U.S. and Japan also raised their voices of criticism targeting not only North Korea but also China and Russia.
“The three ministers reaffirmed that they stand with Ukraine against Russia’s brutal and unjustifiable war of aggression, that this war is a grave violation of territorial integrity and sovereignty, and that it undermines the entire structure of the international order,” the ministry said. did,” he explained.
“The three ministers emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait area,” he said. He emphasized the importance of fully respecting the international order, including its use.”
“The United States reaffirmed its firm defense commitments to South Korea and Japan, backed by capabilities in all categories, including nuclear,” it added.
In the midst of this, the defense ministers of South Korea and the U.S. held a bilateral release (summary meeting) prior to the trilateral meeting that day. It is expected that South Korea and the United States had discussions about North Korea’s space launch vehicle.
(Singapore = News 1)
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.