Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi will meet in Seoul on Sunday to discuss expanding defense cooperation between the two countries.
Koizumi arrived in Seoul on Saturday for his first visit as defense minister. He paid respects at the Seoul National Cemetery before joining Ahn to tour the Black Eagles aerobatic unit at an air base in Wonju, Gangwon Province.
The ministers will hold talks less than a month after their previous meeting on the sidelines of a security forum in Singapore. Ahn had visited Japan in January to meet his counterpart there. The two sides plan to issue a joint press statement after the talks.
The countries resumed joint maritime search and rescue exercises earlier this month after a nine-year pause. Attention is on possible regular aerial refueling support for the Black Eagles and Japan's call for an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement. After the talks the ministers will join a discussion with young people and play table tennis.
