South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has stated that military ties with Japan cannot expand until historical grievances are resolved. This stance comes amid increasing pressure to strengthen defense cooperation due to regional geopolitical shifts.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ruled out expanding military ties with Japan any time soon, insisting that historical grievances must be resolved first. The two countries have come under growing pressure to strengthen defence ties as North Korea, China and Russia draw closer together. But analysts say such a move remains politically risky for Lee’s government given deep-seated public resentment in South Korea towards Japan. To explain why his country could not yet embrace military...