Asia-Pacific

Seoul denies military cooperation with Japan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-01-04 15:41

SEOUL -?The Republic of Korea (ROK)?has never discussed a joint declaration with Japan on boosting bilateral military cooperation, a foreign ministry official?in?Seoul?said Tuesday, dismissing a news report earlier in the day.

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Yomiuri Shimbun, a leading Japanese daily newspaper, reported earlier Tuesday that Seoul and Tokyo are planning to sign the declaration when?the ROK?President Lee Myung-bak visits Tokyo in the first half of the country.

"We never discussed such a joint declaration with Japan. And the president's visit to Japan has yet to be decided," a foreign ministry official said in response to the report.

Meanwhile, Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa is scheduled to hold talks next week in Seoul with his ROK counterpart, Kim Kwan-jin, over boosting military ties and a proposed pact on protecting shared military information.