Military exchanges between South Korea and Japan have recently faced a series of setbacks. Following Japan's refusal to provide refueling support for the South Korean Air Force's special flight team, the Black Eagles, the South Korean military band has also decided to withhold its participation in a music event hosted by the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

According to Kyodo News on November 7th, South Korea has notified the Japanese side that it will withhold the participation of its military band in the "Self-Defense Forces Music Festival," scheduled to be held at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo from November 13th to 15th. This event was a cooperative project that the defense ministers of both countries had agreed to pursue during their meeting in September as part of efforts to expand personnel exchanges.

The Self-Defense Forces Music Festival is held every November, featuring not only the ground, maritime, and air bands of the Japan Self-Defense Forces but also military bands from other countries. The participation of the South Korean military band was set to resume for the first time in 10 years, but the atmosphere changed abruptly after Japan refused to provide refueling support, citing the Black Eagles' flight near Dokdo.

On August 15th, marking the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day, the Ministry of National Defense color guard and military band led the parade at Tapgol Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, during the "Liberation Grand March with the People" hosted by the Liberation Association. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

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Previously, South Korea and Japan had planned for mid-air refueling at Naha Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture to enable the Black Eagles to participate in the Dubai Airshow in the United Arab Emirates. However, the Japanese Ministry of Defense refused to provide refueling, stating that the T-50B aircraft had conducted routine training near Dokdo on October 28th. As a result, the South Korean military reportedly decided not to send the Black Eagles to the airshow.

It has also been reported that the joint search and rescue drill between the South Korean and Japanese navies, which was scheduled for this month, has been canceled. This exercise had been conducted several times in the past, was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was set to resume this time.

Both governments are exercising caution to prevent the current issues from escalating into a diplomatic conflict, but it appears inevitable that the pace of defense exchanges will be adjusted.