Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-Back (left) and his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani on Sept. 8 pose for photos prior to their bilateral talks at the Ministry of National Defense's compound in Seoul's Yongsan-gu District. (Ministry's official Facebook page)

By Margareth Theresia

Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-Back and his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani have agreed to expand future-oriented cooperation in the first military summit between the two countries in 10 years.

The ministry on Sept. 8 said the talks were held at the ministry compound in Seoul's Yongsan-gu District. Minister Nakatani was the first Japanese defense chief to visit Korea since October 2015.

"Amid the rapidly changing security environment, it is important to steadily promote cooperation among Korea, Japan and the U.S.," the two officials said in a statement. "We must develop defense cooperation in a future-oriented way."

Highlighting potential cooperation in high-tech sectors, both sides pledged to "explore future-centric and mutually beneficial cooperation in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, unmanned systems and space."

Seoul and Tokyo also agreed to boost personnel exchanges and maintain regular consultative dialogue including talks between defense ministers. To this end, the ministry said a Korean military band in November will perform at a music festival hosted by Japan's Self-Defense Force.

They also reaffirmed their shared commitment to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

"To respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, we will continue working together within the trilateral cooperative structure of Korea, the U.S. and Japan," the statement added. "We must jointly tackle the issue of rising military cooperation between the North and Russia."

margareth@korea.kr