South Korea, Japan agree to deepen military cooperation

The defence ministers of South Korea and Japan agreed on Friday to upgrade defence cooperation and plan to work together in incorporating artificial intelligence and unmanned weapon systems, South Korea's Defence Ministry said.

Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his South Korean counterpart Ahn Gyu-back held talks in Yokosuka, Japan, and agreed to conduct joint naval search-and-rescue drills, it said in a statement.

The two Asian allies of the US have in recent months drawn closer in political ties under new leaders, as they looked to put behind years of frosty relations rooted in Japan's occupation of the Korean peninsula in the early 20th century.