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David Stilwell, assistant secretary of state at the US State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, during his visit to South Korea in July . (Hankyoreh archives)

A senior official at the US State Department hinted once again that the US will ask the South Korean government to extend its GSOMIA intelligence-sharing agreement with Japan. That agreement is scheduled to end at midnight on Nov. 22.

“We do of course encourage the Korean side to return to this agreement because it benefits us, benefits you [Japan] and it certainly benefits them [South Korea] as well,” said David Stilwell, assistant secretary of state at the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, during a press conference at the US Embassy to Tokyo on Oct. 26. Stilwell’s comments were reported by Kyodo News on Oct. 27.

Stilwell was in Japan to attend the Mt. Fuji Dialogue, a policy forum organized every year by the Japan Center for Economic Research and the Japan Institute of International Affairs, with invitations extended to government officials and experts from the US and Japan.

As a recent example of GSOMIA’s utility, Stilwell brought up North Korea’s test of a new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) at the beginning of this month. “We all recognized the importance of that,” the American official said. He underlined that GSOMIA is a security issue that has an impact on all three countries concerned.

However, Stilwell resorted to generic language when referring to Japan’s export controls on South Korea, which triggered Seoul’s decision to withdraw from GSOMIA.

By way of stressing that South Korea and Japan’s economic dispute should not be allowed to bleed over into security issues, Stilwell said, “We strongly encourage both sides [South Korea and Japan] to find creative solutions to this.” At the same time, the official said the US was not in a position to mediate their dispute.

During Stilwell’s scheduled visit to South Korea on Nov. 5, he is expected to push Seoul to reconsider its decision to terminate GSOMIA.

By Cho Ki-weon, Tokyo correspondent

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