U.S. seeks cooperation among S. Korea, U.S. and Japan on missile defense

A bill which recently passed the U.S. lower house has ordered the Pentagon to examine ways of strengthening missile defense cooperation among Seoul, Tokyo and Washington. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will have to report back to the Armed Services Committee no later than six months after the bill goes into effect. Our Laah Hyun-kyung has this report. The U.S. National Defense Authorization Act for the year 2015 passed the House of Representatives last week. It stipulates that the Secretary of Defense should assess and identify opportunities for boosting missile defense cooperation among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan. If enacted,... the Pentagon will evaluate whether the three countries can share more military information, have their missile systems integrated and conduct joint exercises. After picking up the information on Tuesday... experts in Seoul say... Washington's move would likely face resistance... as South Korea does not want to share military intelligence with Japan. The passing of the bill comes a matter of days after Japanese media reported that U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice discussed the matter with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The report said Rice suggested immediately sharing information among the three nations... if South Korean radar detects a North Korean missile launch. Attention now lies on how the South Korean government will react -- and if it will react -- to Washington's move... especially considering a U.S. Congressional Research Service report last year said... Seoul would benefit the least... given its close proximity to Pyongyang. Laah Hyun-kyung, Arirang News.