South Korea, the U.S. and Japan held working-level talks Thursday in Tokyo to explore ways to bolster trilateral security cooperation as controversy continues over the scope of Japanese military activities during a contingency on the peninsula.

The two-day consultations are being held with the three countries’ one-star-level officials within the framework of their Defense Trilateral Talks, following a deputy-minister-level session last April. Seoul’s Defense Ministry dispatched Brig. Gen. Park Chul-kyun, director general for international policy, to the latest meeting.

While assessing North Korea’s rising nuclear and missile threats, the participants were expected to discuss the extent, conditions, procedure and other formalities linked with Japan’s possible exercise of its right to collective self-defense on the peninsula.

The talks came two days after Seoul’s Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani clashed during their bilateral meeting over whether North Korea should be viewed as South Korean soil in case of a contingency.

Han stressed the North is stipulated as South Korean territory under the Constitution and, thus, Tokyo must seek Seoul’s approval if the Self-Defense Forces were to carry out any operation there. In contrast, Nakatani argued that Seoul’s effective control is confined to the southern part of the truce line.

“The Japanese side reaffirmed that if it was to enter a foreign territory, it will get the country’s consent, and our position is crystal clear that (North Korea) is South Korean land,” Seoul’s Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said at a news briefing Thursday.

“During the working-level session in Tokyo, the three countries plan to confer on security issues of mutual interest,” he added, declining to mention the detailed agenda.

The stark disparity in the two nations’ views reflect unabated concerns here over Japan’s drive to expand its military role in line with a recent overturn of its pacifist constitution, which failed to entail any repentance toward its World War II atrocities.

Seoul’s dilemma is deepening given Washington’s growing pressure ― and its own needs ― for greater three-way security collaboration to better counter Pyongyang’s threats.

Another key issue will be how to prop up logistics support between the three partners such as by signing an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, which enables militaries to provide services and supplies to each other more efficiently while on overseas missions.

After efforts foundered to forge a two-way accord on intelligence sharing, the General Security of Military Information Agreement, South Korea and Japan clinched a trilateral arrangement involving the U.S. last December.

During the ministerial talks, Nakatani once again floated the need for an ACSA, including within a trilateral structure, though Han dismissed it, saying it is premature given the lack of parliamentary and public support.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)