S. Korean President Mentions Need for ACSA with Japan

Seoul, June 8 (Jiji Press)–South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Monday mentioned the need for a bilateral acquisition and cross-servicing agreement, or ACSA, with Japan. This was the first time Lee publicly acknowledged the need for an ACSA, which facilitates the reciprocal provision of fuel and munitions. At a press conference marking the first anniversary of his inauguration, Lee said that he had told Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that although an ACSA is practically necessary, the current public sentiment in his country makes it difficult to conclude the agreement with Japan. According to the president, he also told the Japanese leader that he would be criticized if he talked about the matter in South Korea, and asked the Japanese side to understand the situation. It is not known when he made these remarks to Takaichi. In 2012, the Japanese and South Korean governments were close to concluding an ACSA, but strong criticism in South Korea stalled the momentum. In light of the recent improvement in bilateral relations, Japan has renewed its calls for the agreement. On May 31, South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said that he discussed an ACSA with his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi. This appeared to be the first official acknowledgment of such discussions since Lee took office. During Monday’s press conference, Lee suggested that he is negative about excessively advancing military cooperation among his country, Japan and the United States. Pointing out that the belief that Japan has not sincerely apologized for its past colonial rule is deeply rooted among South Koreans, the president said that this situation must be resolved before negotiating an ACSA. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]