South Korea and Japan Reinforce Triangular Defense Cooperation with the U.S. for Regional Stability

September 8, 2026

Seoul, September 8 (Daily Kiran) : Senior defense officials from South Korea and Japan met in Seoul on September 8 to emphasize the critical importance of trilateral defense cooperation with the United States for maintaining peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the broader Indo-Pacific region. They reaffirmed their commitment to advancing defense exchanges and collaboration.

The meeting took place during the Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD) and was attended by South Korea’s Deputy Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee and Japan’s Deputy Defense Minister Atsushi Endo. According to South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense, both parties agreed that bilateral and trilateral cooperation among South Korea, Japan, and the U.S. is essential for regional security.

The ministry noted that the two countries also agreed to continuously strengthen stable, mutually beneficial, and forward-looking defense collaboration based on mutual understanding and trust.

Notably, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi did not attend the conference. Atsushi Endo represented Japan in his stead. Koizumi recently faced criticism for visiting a controversial wartime memorial in Tokyo, seen as a symbol of Japan’s imperial past, which drew backlash from South Korea and other neighboring nations.

In addition to the main discussions, Lee Doo-hee held a separate meeting with Janne Kuusela, the Permanent Secretary of Finland’s Ministry of Defense. They discussed strengthening bilateral defense partnerships in light of the evolving global security landscape and increasing security cooperation between Europe and the Indo-Pacific.

Both nations also agreed to enhance cooperation in defense science and technology, the defense industry, and existing partnerships, particularly focusing on the K-9 self-propelled howitzer project.

Furthermore, Lee Doo-hee met separately with Malaysia’s Defense Secretary Lokman Hakim bin Ali and Singapore’s Defense State Minister Desmond Choo to discuss strengthening partnerships in defense cooperation and arms manufacturing.

According to South Korea’s Defense Ministry, the 2026 Seoul Defense Dialogue is being held under the theme “Towards New Coexistence in Turbulent Times.”