Khaberni - South Korea and Japan confirmed on Sunday their commitment to nuclear disarmament in the Korean Peninsula, despite Pyongyang's insistence on expanding its nuclear and military capabilities.
This came during talks held by South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-bak with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Koizumi in Seoul, where the two sides discussed ways to enhance defense cooperation between the two countries.
The ministers renewed, according to a statement issued by the South Korean Ministry of Defense, their commitment to "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and establishing permanent peace".
The two sides also agreed to continue bilateral defense cooperation, along with enhancing trilateral cooperation among South Korea, Japan, and the United States.
The meeting comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to enhance his country's defense capabilities, equip the navy with nuclear weapons, and continue developing missile tests.
In March, Kim confirmed that his country will not change its status as a nuclear-armed state, describing this as 'an irreversible path', and pledged to continue enhancing nuclear capabilities and confront what he described as 'hostile forces'.
Since the summit between Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump in 2019 faltered due to disagreements over nuclear disarmament and easing of sanctions, North Korea has repeatedly declared itself to be 'a nuclear state by an irreversible decision'.
The Koreas are still technically at war, as the conflict that lasted from 1950 to 1953 ended with an armistice agreement, without signing a peace treaty, while they are separated by a demilitarized zone along the border.
