According to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency on May 31, 2026, South Korean Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-baek revealed that the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) between Japan and South Korea was discussed at the Japan-ROK defense ministers' meeting held in Singapore.

According to the article, Minister Ahn met with reporters in Singapore, where the Asia Security Summit (Shangri-La Dialogue) was being held, and in response to a question about whether ACSA was discussed at the Japan-ROK defense ministers' meeting with Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi the previous day, he acknowledged, 'There was a discussion.'

On the other hand, he stated, 'Since it was a meeting between defense ministers, there are limits to disclosing details,' and added, 'ACSA is an Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement, a matter that requires the understanding and consent of the people of both countries. I believe that caution should be exercised at this stage.'

ACSA (Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement) refers to an intergovernmental agreement that allows for the mutual provision of logistics such as ammunition, food, and fuel, as well as services, during contingencies or international peacekeeping operations.

In South Korea, during the Lee Myung-bak administration, there was a plan to conclude ACSA between Japan and South Korea, following GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information Agreement). However, at the time, GSOMIA was shelved just before signing due to public opposition, which led to the suspension of ACSA discussions as well.

The article reported regarding ACSA, 'While Japan strongly desires it, South Korea maintains a cautious stance, and attention is focused on future developments.'

Regarding this, South Korean netizens expressed opinions such as: 'Cooperation is necessary when considering national security, but it won't be easy,' 'GSOMIA also caused a big debate, and ACSA is likely to generate even more opposition,' 'It's a logistics support agreement, so it's a step beyond simple exchange, which makes caution understandable,' 'Things like this are always 'cautious' and never reach a conclusion,' 'It's difficult to separate historical issues from national security,' and 'I want them to properly explain the pros and cons to the public before signing.'

On the other hand, there were also comments such as: 'Considering the movements of China and North Korea, Japan-ROK defense cooperation might continue to progress,' 'As long as both Japan and South Korea face the North Korean issue, I think the benefits of cooperation are significant,' 'If the main purpose is fuel and food assistance during an emergency, it's worth considering as a realistic method of cooperation,' and 'It's time to change Japan-ROK relations into a new form.' (Translation/Editing: Higuchi)