Periscope Depth 3/23/2023

Seoul Set To Return To Intel-Sharing Pact With Japan
Aja Melville

On Tuesday, South Korea officially informed the Japanese government of its decision to withdraw its suspension of a 2016 military intelligence-sharing agreement. The General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) allows the parties to request confidential data from one-another including information related to national security, military intelligence, counterterrorism and weapons development. It would give Seoul access to advanced Japanese spy satellites to monitor North Korean missile launches.

First signed in 2016, the pact quickly fell victim to longstanding bilateral disputes stemming from Japan’s colonial rule in Korea from 1910 to 1945. South Koreans seeking restitution from Japanese firms for forced labor during that period won a court case in the South Korean Supreme Court. The court ordered Japanese firms to pay compensation in 2018. Tokyo rejected the decision, arguing that the matter was resolved in a 1965 bilateral treaty. In 2019, Japan implemented trade restrictions on South Korea. In response, Seoul threatened to terminate the information-sharing pact.

The threat to terminate the agreement was a blow to regional security, disrupting intelligence-sharing among Japan, South Korea and the U.S. Washington has sought to bring its two allies together as it seeks to strengthen security partnerships in the region.

In early March, the two countries reached an agreement under which South Korean firms would compensate those forced to work for Japanese companies during the colonial period, paving the way for the sides to put their historical differences aside and enhance cooperation. The move was largely driven by concerns about the North Korean threat. A meeting last week between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida set the stage for reconciliation, with Tokyo set to remove trade restrictions and Seoul to return to the GSOMIA...

Blinken Pushes Accountability For War Crimes During Ethiopia Visit
Julian Lark

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday issued a press statement accusing participants in the recent war in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia of various crimes. The Ethiopian National Defense Forces, Amhara regional military forces, the Addis-Ababa-allied Eritrean Defense Forces and the opposition Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) each committed war crimes; the Addis-Ababa-aligned coalition, crimes against humanity; and Amharan forces, ethnic cleansing in western Tigray, the secretary said.

Blinken said that the United States “will stand with Ethiopia as it honestly faces the abuses in its past, provides accountability for the harms committed against its citizens and moves toward a future of lasting peace.”

The statement echoed comments he made during his March 15 visit to Ethiopia, where he met with government and TPLF leaders before announcing US$331 million in humanitarian aid for Ethiopians affected by conflict, drought and food insecurity.

The governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea denied the State Dept.’s accusations. Furthermore, in excluding TPLF fighters from his allegations of sexual violence, the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry said Blinken’s statement “undercuts support of the U.S. for an inclusive peace process in Ethiopia...”

Naval Drills Symbolize Growing Chinese Influence In Cambodia
Tom Freebairn

Beijing announced on Monday that the Chinese navy was taking part in bilateral naval exercises with Cambodia in Cambodian waters for the first time. The Golden Dragon drills involve more than 3,000 personnel from both navies. The training, focused on interoperability and maritime skills, runs from March 20 to April 8. China and Cambodia have held the bilateral Golden since 2016. Previous rounds covered infantry and artillery skills.

The drills reflect deepening ties between Cambodia and China. From supporting Pol Pot’s brutal Khmer Rouge regime to backing current President Hun Sen’s coup-d’état in 1997, Beijing has had a vested interest in Cambodia for decades. In 2013, bilateral ties took a new shape with China’s announcement of the global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Cambodia became a major recipient of Chinese developmental aid through the program. By 2019, approximately half of Cambodia’s foreign direct assistance came from China, and 40 percent of its foreign debt was owed to Beijing. Through major loans untied to government accountability or transparent spending, Beijing has engendered tight relations, if not dependency, with Phnom Penh.

In exchange, China has received a loyal ally and advocate in the region, including at multinational bodies such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) where disputes in the South China Sea are frequently discussed. Additionally, China has made inroads into obtaining its first permanent foreign naval base in Asia at the Ream naval base on the Gulf of Thailand. Despite denials from the Cambodian and Chinese governments, U.S. leaders and media have alleged that the facility is being expanded to accommodate Chinese vessels following a secretive deal in 2019. A Chinese presence in Cambodia would offer expanded access to the contested regions of the South China Sea as well as a proximate foothold to the strategic Strait of Malacca...

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