South Korea, Japan and China are in talks to arrange a trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting amid protracted conflicts between Seoul and Tokyo. 

According to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, the three countries are holding discussions on a potential meeting between Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Chinese and Japanese counterparts. 

A diplomatic source in China said arrangements are being made to hold the foreign ministers’ meeting later this month, adding a trilateral summit is likely to be held at year’s end. 

Japanese broadcaster NHK reported earlier that the three East Asian countries are moving in the direction of holding a tripartite summit within the year and thus will likely hold a meeting of their foreign ministers on August 21 to prepare for the summit. 

Even if the three foreign ministers meet this month, it is unclear whether Kang and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono will hold a separate bilateral meeting. 

However, if they decide to sit down face-to-face, Kang and Kono will likely discuss bilateral tension over Japan’s trade restrictions against South Korea. They may also broach a bilateral military intelligence-sharing agreement, known as the General Security of Military Information Agreement(GSOMIA), which is renewed every year. Seoul is mulling renouncing the GSOMIA in response to Japan’s export curbs. The deadline for either party to express an intent to rescind the pact is August 24.