Foreign Minister of Japan Toshimitsu Motegi and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, have exchanged views on extending their bilateral 2016 General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), Japanese media reported Saturday
TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2019) Foreign Minister of Japan Toshimitsu Motegi and his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, have exchanged views on extending their bilateral 2016 General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), Japanese media reported Saturday.
According to the NHK broadcaster, the meeting between the two top diplomats took place on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in the Japanese city of Nagoya and lasted for 30 minutes.
The details of the talks were not disclosed, however, they come a day after Seoul announced that it had revoked its earlier decision to withdraw from GSOMIA, which was set to expire on Saturday.
Still unresolved is the dispute over mutual trade restrictions between Tokyo and Seoul, which is what led to the developments around the intelligence-sharing in the first place.
According to the media outlet, Motegi and Kang are believed to have discussed these issues.
South Korea announced its intention to withdraw from the GSOMIA in late August amid a series of nuclear and missile tests by North. On Friday, however, the country went back on its earlier decision and extended the pact on the condition that it could be terminated at any moment.
Before the reversal was announced, diplomats and officials from both countries held several rounds of talks amid US calls for reconciliation. South Korea said it would reconsider its participation in GSOMIA if Japan agreed to lift the export restrictions that led to Seoul having to take such drastic measures.
