Yokosuka: South Korea and Japan are in discussions to organize a meeting between their defense ministers in Japan this month. This development is part of ongoing efforts to enhance trilateral security cooperation with the United States.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back is anticipated to visit Japan as early as this month to meet with his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi. The Japanese city of Yokosuka, near Tokyo, where the U.S. 7th Fleet is stationed, is being considered as a potential venue for these talks, as reported by Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, citing several Japanese government sources.

The talks between Ahn and Koizumi follow a recent meeting between President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Nara. During this meeting, both leaders explored ways to strengthen their bilateral relations. Last month, Ahn and Koizumi conducted phone discussions, agreeing to work on improving defense ties, which have been hindered since an incident involving South Korean fighter jets in November.

The incident involved South Korean fighter jets scheduled to refuel at a Japanese airbase for an air show in Dubai, but the plan was canceled by Tokyo. The decision was influenced by the T-50B aircraft of the Air Force's Black Eagles conducting drills near the disputed islets of Dokdo, which has been a persistent point of contention between the two nations.

The last face-to-face meeting between Ahn and Koizumi occurred on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Kuala Lumpur in early November. During this meeting, both ministers emphasized the significance of trilateral security cooperation with the U.S. in response to the growing North Korean nuclear and missile threats.