South Korea rejects US-proposed date for trilateral air drills with Japan

South Korea has turned down a US proposal to conduct trilateral air drills with Japan this month, citing scheduling conflicts with the Lunar New Year holiday and sensitivity over Tokyo's upcoming territorial commemorations, Yonhap News reported Monday citing unnamed sources. The rejection highlights ongoing diplomatic frictions between the two US allies despite Washington's efforts to strengthen trilateral security cooperation.

Territorial Sensitivities

The US proposed holding the exercises with South Korean and Japanese forces in February, but the suggested timing overlapped with this year's Lunar New Year holiday period of Feb. 15-18 and fell just before Japan's "Takeshima Day" on Feb. 22. A Japanese province established the annual event in 2005 to assert Tokyo's claim to the Dokdo islets—known as Takeshima in Japan—which has long been a recurring source of tension between Seoul and Tokyo. South Korea lodged a protest Sunday after a senior Japanese official attended this year's commemoration.

Counter-Proposals and Rejection

Seoul suggested rescheduling the trilateral drills well before Japan's regional event and proposed conducting bilateral exercises with Washington after the Japanese commemoration. However, Washington rejected these alternatives earlier this month and notified South Korea it would conduct solo aerial drills instead. The diplomatic maneuvering underscores the delicate balance required to maintain alliance cohesion while respecting each nation's domestic sensitivities and historical grievances.

Separate US-China Incident

The trilateral drill dispute follows a separate incident last week involving US Forces Korea, when American and Chinese fighter jets engaged in a brief standoff over the Yellow Sea. Ten US F-16 aircraft flew into an area between the respective air defense identification zones of South Korea and China, prompting Chinese military dispatch of fighter jets to the scene. No clash occurred, but South Korea lodged a protest with US Forces Korea over the incident, adding another layer of complexity to regional security dynamics.

Alliance Management Challenges

The dual rejections—South Korea declining the trilateral drill date and Washington refusing Seoul's alternatives—illustrate the challenges Washington faces in synchronizing military cooperation with its two key Northeast Asian allies. While trilateral security coordination has deepened under the US-Japan-South Korea framework, historical tensions and differing national calendars continue to create practical obstacles that require careful diplomatic navigation.