SEOUL: Japan and South Korea signed a controversial agreement on Wednesday to share defense intelligence on North Korea, despite protests from opposition parties and activists in Seoul. “It is ready to conduct additional nuclear tests and missile launches at any time,” the ministry said in a statement. Seoul and Tokyo currently use Washington as an intermediary when sharing military intelligence on Pyongyang under a deal signed in 2014. South Korea and Japan were on the verge of signing an intelligence-sharing deal in June 2012, but Seoul backtracked at the last minute in response to public outcry. The deal has been fiercely opposed by South Korean opposition parties and activists, who point to Seoul’s failure to seek public support and historical sensitivities.

Source: Manila Times November 23, 2016 13:57 UTC