South Korea has expressed strong regret over Japan’s decision to stop bilateral working-level discussions over a military radar issue. 

Defense Ministry Spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo relayed the South Korean government’s stance at a press conference Monday after Tokyo announced it was halting talks on the matter, citing Seoul’s alleged refusal to own up to facts. 

Choi said Japan should offer scientific evidence to back up its claim that a South Korean warship locked a fire-control radar on its maritime patrol aircraft. She also urged Tokyo to actively cooperate on expert verification of conflicting accounts from both sides. 

The spokeswoman also took issue with an audio file that Japan revealed. Unlike Tokyo’s claim that the sound proves the existence of a South Korean radar directed at the Japanese plane, she said the audio file offers no evidence and is no more than an unidentified mechanical sound. 

She reiterated Seoul’s claim that Tokyo needs to apologize over the issue because the Japanese aircraft made a threateningly low flight toward the South Korean warship that was on a mission to rescue a North Korean ship drifting in international waters in the East Sea. 

However, the official drew a line between the issue and joint defense cooperation with Tokyo, stressing Seoul’s will to continue efforts for regional security cooperation.