S. Korea may review military info-sharing pact with Japan: Cheong Wa Dae official

A senior Cheong Wa Dae official said Thursday South Korea will review whether to renew a pact with Japan on sharing military information, if needed, according to a politician here.

"For now, (the government) has a position to maintain it. It can be reconsidered in accordance with (relevant) situations,"

Chung Eui-yong, director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, was quoted by Rep. Sim Sang-jung, head of the progressive Justice Party, as saying during a closed-door meeting with politicians.

Chung, during the meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, briefed the politicians on the government's response to Japan's tougher export restrictions against South Korea.

Chung Eui-yong (Yonhap)

Sim told reporters that she raised the issue of the bilateral General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) in the meeting.

In November 2016, Seoul and Tokyo signed GSOMIA, which enables them to share confidential military information. The agreement is mainly aimed at more effectively countering nuclear and missile threats from North Korea.

The accord is supposed be automatically renewed every year unless either party notifies the other of its intention to terminate the agreement 90 days ahead of the end of a one-year period. (Yonhap)