S.Korea urges Japan to maintain spirit of pacifist constitution

South Korea urged Japan Saturday to maintain the spirit of the pacifist constitution after the enactment of the controversial security legislation pushed by the government under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The foreign ministry said in a statement that Japan should maintain the spirit of the pacifist constitution, which has been sustained after the end of World War II, and contribute to regional peace and stability when deciding on and implementing its security and defense policy.

The ministry pointed out the "perfect respect" for a third country's sovereignty when Japan exercises the right to collective self-defense, which was specified in the revised guideline on the U.S.-Japan defense cooperation.

It said that Japan must gain call or consent from South Korea before the collective self-defense right is exercised for reasons related with South Korea's national interest and the security of the Korean Peninsula.

The controversial security bills, which were passed through Japan's lower house in July, were rammed through the upper chamber on early Saturday to enable its troops to be dispatched overseas to engage in armed conflicts.

Japan's war-renouncing pacifist constitution, enacted after the end of World War II, bans its Self-Defense Forces from doing so or exercising the right to collective self-defense. Endit