Defense chiefs of S. Korea, Japan reaffirm 3-way coordination with U.S. amid N.K. threats

What happened: The defense ministers of South Korea and Japan met one-on-one for the first time, on the margins of a regional defense ministers' meeting in the Philippines, and reaffirmed trilateral coordination with the United States against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. Key numbers: Meeting held Wednesday, Oct. Why it matters: The ministers stressed international coordination on rising military tensions along the inter-Korean border and deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. They also discussed defense cooperation in AI and unmanned systems.

The defense ministers of South Korea and Japan met one-on-one for the first time, on the margins of a regional defense ministers' meeting in the Philippines, and reaffirmed trilateral coordination with the United States against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

The ministers stressed international coordination on rising military tensions along the inter-Korean border and deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. They also discussed defense cooperation in AI and unmanned systems.