US security adviser Bolton urges South Korea to mend ties with Japan

In Seoul, Trump aide calls for cooperation as regional tensions rise

U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton and South Korean National Security Office Director Chung Eui-yong meet in Seoul on July 24. (Photo courtesy of South Korean Office of the President)

YOSUKE ONCHI, Nikkei staff writer

July 25, 2019 02:37 JST

SEOUL -- U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton pushed South Korea Wednesday to tamp down its feud with Japan, encouraging Washington's two top allies in the region to work together amid growing security concerns.

Bolton, known for his hawkish stance on North Korea and the Middle East, met with South Korean counterpart Chung Eui-yong for about two and a half hours in Seoul. They agreed to maintain close military cooperation.