By Song Baleun and Yoon Sojung

The Ministry of National Defense on Dec. 28 "expressed deep regret and concern" over Japan’s release of video footage related to a radar controversy involving a Japanese P-1 patrol aircraft and a Korean naval destroyer.

Ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told a news briefing in Seoul, “The fact remains unchanged that the Korean destroyer Gwanggaeto the Great was on a normal rescue operation and did not operate fire-control radar to target the Japanese patrol aircraft.”

“Though our ship was on a humanitarian mission, we find it very disappointing as an ally that the Japanese plane threatened us by flying nearby at a low altitude.”

The radar controversy between Seoul and Tokyo started after Japan claimed that the Korean destroyer on Dec. 20 used targeting radar on the Japanese patrol plane while rescuing a drifting North Korean fishing boat in international waters of the East Sea.

To clear up the matter, defense officials from Seoul and Tokyo held a working-level video conference on Dec. 27. This failed to quell the controversy, however, as the Japanese Defense Ministry released the footage taken by its aircraft a day after the talks, though the video is considered insufficient to qualify as clear evidence.



Spokesperson Choi said, “The video released by Japan cannot be considered objective as it only shows only certain parts of the situation.”

“We ask Japan to come up with more concrete materials as evidence to back its claim.”

She added, ”Seoul’s position is unchanged in that we hope to develop bilateral military cooperation in a forward-looking manner.”

“Japan should follow the path of building friendly relations in military cooperation with Korea.”

brightsong@korea.kr