Concerned about North Korean aggression, the U.S., Japan and South Korea plan to cooperate even more closely on defense matters.
How the Handelsblatt reported, the U.S., together with its allies South Korea and Japan, will strengthen military cooperation. Due to the threat posed by North Korea, U.S. military officials believe they are ready to take this step. Already on Wednesday, long-range B1-B bombers participated in a separate military maneuver in South Korea and Japan. Furthermore, the U.S. military has announced that they will work with South Korea to more closely link their systems for tracking North Korean missile launches. The U.S. Space Force, which is responsible for defense in space, stated that this cooperation could soon be extended to Japan as well. Until now, Japan and South Korea have relied mainly on land- and sea-based radar systems to track missile launches.
Information to be shared in real time
U.S. President Joe Biden had agreed to closer cooperation at a summit at Camp David in the U.S., mainly due to the growing threat in Asia. All three countries agreed to share real-time information on missile launches starting in late 2023. North Korea is in the process of advancing its nuclear and missile programs. Just last week, an attempt by North Korea to put a spy satellite into orbit failed.
Image: Phil Roeder, Joe Biden Rally at Hiatt Middle School – 49481114777, CC BY 2.0, via. Wikimedia Commons (image size modified)
