Published on November 27, 2019.
Based on an article by Satoshi Sakakibara, deputy editorial writer of the Sankei Shimbun, this piece examines South Korea’s explanation regarding GSOMIA and argues that it departs from the principles of civilized nations that respect treaties.
By comparing South Korea’s stance with the Soviet Union’s violation of the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact at the end of World War II, it warns of the danger inherent in Seoul’s claim that it can terminate GSOMIA “at any time” and points to the difficult future of Japan–South Korea relations.

November 27, 2019
What engraved in the minds of the Japanese people the impression that the Soviet Union, now Russia, was truly an untrustworthy country was the Soviet invasion of Japan at the end of the last war, in violation of the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact.
The following is from an article by Satoshi Sakakibara, deputy editorial writer of the Sankei Shimbun, published in yesterday’s Sankei Shimbun under the title “South Korea Outside the Rules of Civilized Nations.”
“South Korea has decided to suspend the effect of its August 23 notification of termination, on the premise that it can terminate the effect of GSOMIA at any time.”
This was the statement made at a press conference by Kim You-geun, first deputy director of the National Security Office of the South Korean presidential office.
It was the official explanation by the South Korean government regarding the fact that the expiration of the General Security of Military Information Agreement between Japan and South Korea, or GSOMIA, had been avoided at the last moment.
The avoidance of its expiration is welcome from the standpoint of security, but when the writer learned of this explanation by the South Korean government, he felt dizzy.
That is because the South Korean government, or at least the Moon Jae-in administration, is still not even trying to conceal the fact that it has no intention of respecting treaties with foreign countries.
There can be no such thing as being able to “terminate the effect at any time.”
Article 21, paragraph 3, of GSOMIA, a treaty between Japan and South Korea, states: “This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of one year, and shall be automatically extended every year thereafter unless either Government gives the other Government written notice, through diplomatic channels, of its intention to terminate this Agreement ninety days before its expiration.”
Whether or not secret military information is actually exchanged is a matter for the judgment of both governments.
However, the framework of GSOMIA itself cannot be abolished except at the time its period of validity expires.
This time, too, under the provision of Article 21, paragraph 3, it was automatically extended for one year.
What engraved in the minds of the Japanese people the impression that the Soviet Union, now Russia, was truly an untrustworthy country was the Soviet invasion of Japan at the end of the last war, in violation of the Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact.
Article 3 of that treaty, concluded in April 1941, set its period of validity at five years and stipulated that it would be automatically extended unless notice of “denunciation” was given one year before the expiration of the period.
In April 1945, the Soviet Union notified Japan that it would not extend the treaty one year later, in other words that it would “denounce” it.
Although the treaty remained valid until April of the following year, the Soviet Union sophistically insisted in August 1945 that it had annulled the treaty and attacked Japan from behind.
It was a barbaric act outside the rules of civilized nations.
When the South Korean government cries that it can “terminate the effect of GSOMIA at any time,” it is probably bluffing or taking measures for domestic public opinion, but it is tantamount to publicly declaring the possibility that it may violate a treaty like the Soviet Union.
A civilized nation conducts diplomatic bargaining while observing treaties.
South Korea, which is not ashamed to take a stance contrary to that, is just like a premodern country.
The future of Japan–South Korea relations is full of difficulties.