(VOVworld) - South Korea and Japan on Friday directly exchanged classified information on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs for the first time, in line with their intelligence-sharing pact which came into force last month, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said.

South Korea's Defense Minister Han Min-koo and Japan's Ambassador to South Korea Yasumasa Nagamine sign documents of the General Security of Military Information Agreement on Nov 23 (Source: vovanews.com)

The exchange was made during a meeting between the two countries' senior defense officials held in Seoul in conjunction with a three-way security dialogue which also includes the United States. Under the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), which was signed by South Korea’s Defense Minister Han Min-Koo and Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Yasumasa Nagamine last month, South Korea and Japan are obliged to share information regarding North Korea's nuclear programs, missile development and other military activities without the assistance of the US as the intermediary. This is the first military agreement between the two countries since South Korea gained independence from Japan in 1945.