South Korean president looks forward to trilateral summit with 'partner' Japan

In an effort to strengthen ties with Tokyo in response to North Korea's growing nuclear threats, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday referred to Japan as a "partner" who shares his country's values and goals.

Relations between the North and South are at their lowest point in decades as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for rapid military development, including tactical nukes.

Yoon has responded by trying to patch things up with Japan, a former colonial power, while also bringing South Korea closer to Washington, a longtime friend.

The leaders of the three nations are due to meet on Friday in the US for a trilateral summit where they are expected to discuss ways to improve military cooperation, AFP reported.

The summit "will set a new milestone in trilateral cooperation contributing to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region," Yoon said.

Japan's occupation of the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945 has long been a source of contention between Seoul and Tokyo, both of which are close security allies of the US.

The two, however, "are now partners who share universal values and pursue common interests," Yoon declared, celebrating the anniversary of the country's independence from Japanese domination.

He emphasised that Tokyo, Seoul, and Washington must "share North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles data in real-time".

"The seven rear bases provided to the United Nations Command (UNC) by the government of Japan serve as the greatest deterrent" to an invasion by the North, he added.

The three allies said in June that they aimed to launch before the end of 2023 a system allowing the sharing of real-time missile warning data.

August 15 — known in the South as Gwangbokjeol, or Liberation Day — is the only public holiday celebrated in both North and South Korea, according to Seoul's National Institute for Unification Education.

On last year's anniversary, Yoon offered Pyongyang an "audacious" aid plan that would include food, energy and infrastructure help in return for the North abandoning its nuclear weapons programme.

Pyongyang has since ridiculed the offer, calling it the "height of absurdity" and a deal it would never accept, but Yoon on Tuesday said Seoul would "steadfastly implement" the plan and continue attempting to convince Pyongyang to return to dialogue.

North Korea's leader recently called for stepping up war preparations "in an offensive way" as well as a "drastic boost" in missile production.

Kim last month oversaw a dramatic military parade featuring new attack drones and Pyongyang's nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles, flanked by visiting Russian and Chinese officials.

Some experts said the attendance of Moscow's defence minister showed Russia's readiness to expand military cooperation with Pyongyang.