Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and his South Korean counterpart, Yun Byung-se, affirmed in Laos on Monday their intention to implement the landmark bilateral settlement on the “comfort women” forced into Japan’s military brothels during the war by setting up a foundation this week created to help the surviving victims.
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South Korea and the United States have said THAAD would only be used in defense against North Korean ballistic missiles.
Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi criticised the deployment saying it hampered the mutual trust between Beijing and Seoul.
In report published on UN website, China also reconfirms its position on solving N. Korean nuke issue through dialogue China reiterated its opposition to the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system in an implementation report for United Nations Security Council Resolution 2270, an global measure sanctioning North Korea for its nuclear and missile development programs. The Secretary is also slated to attend the Meetings of the South East Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Commission, AMM Interface with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission for Human Rights (AICHR) Representatives, and the Southwest Pacific Dialogue (SwPD).
Kishida and Yun are in Laos to take part in regional meetings involving the 10-member Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, which are being held for the first time since an worldwide tribunal ruling earlier this month rejected China’s claim to nearly all of the South China Sea.
Calling U.S.-China ties one of “the most consequential bilateral relationships on the globe”, Kerry said both sides have cooperated on such important issues as Iran nuclear issue, counter-terrorism and climate change.
The South Korean Defense Ministry made public plans to allow deployment of THAAD’s radar TPY-2 TM and six launchers carrying eight missiles each, for a total of 48 missiles ready to engage ballistic targets.
“Under the trilateral information-sharing agreement with the United States and Japan, South Korea is obliged to share the information it gets on North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests with Japan through the US”.
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The strife between Beijing and Seoul comes as North Korea tested three missiles last week over waters to the east of the peninsula, displaying its ability to strike anywhere in Korea.
