SEOUL, Jan 30 (Reuters) - 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,

Analysts from both countries noted that the visit relied on temporarily shelving disputes rather than resolving them. Given the current Japanese government's stance on historical issues and its confrontational security outlook, bilateral ties are likely, in the short term, to remain instrumental rather than strategic in nature.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae at their summit meeting in Nara Prefecture, Japan, Jan. 13, 2026. Credit: Prime Minister’s Office of Japan Earlier this month,

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan and President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea played along to BTS and “KPop Demon Hunters,” in a display meant to show warming ties.