South Korea plans to call off discussions on a military logistics accord with Japan, a government source here said Tuesday, as Seoul deals with the aftermath of a controversial attempt to sign a separate military intelligence-sharing deal with Tokyo.
The source said relevant government ministries are "building consensus" toward stopping talks on the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA). South Korea came under fire last week for pursuing an intelligence pact, called the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), without making efforts to gauge public opinion on such a pact with the nation's former colonial ruler. Attempting to sign another military deal with Japan against this backdrop would not sit well with the public, the source said.
"With the public so against the government for some procedural issues over the GSOMIA, I think it's difficult to discuss the ACSA," the source said. "We're moving toward a conclusion where we will stop all talks on that particular deal."
According to the source, South Korea and Japan each came up with drafts of the ACSA but the sides have not progressed beyond that point.
"Our defense ministry and Japan's defense agency have exchanged their own drafts several times, but there was a lot left to discuss and we have yet to produce a joint draft," the source said. "So the two sides haven't initiated the pact."
According to other defense sources, the South Korean draft limited the range of bilateral logistical cooperation to non-combat operations overseas, such as U.N. peacekeeping missions.
Seoul and Tokyo have talked about forging an ACSA since early
2001 but South Korea decided to put off further discussions because the deal could allow Japanese troops to enter South Korean territory. That would present a sensitive situation for many Koreans who still harbor resentment toward Japan for its colonial rule from 1910 to 1945.
As recently as last Thursday, South Korean officials hinted that ACSA talks would eventually resume after further consultations. (Yonhap News)
