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A new code

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Why you can trust SCMP
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On a certain level, it is unfortunate that the world of intelligence co-operation necessarily takes place in the shadows, for it can shed light on intriguing trends unfolding across the region.

Anecdotal evidence, for example, suggests South Korea and Japan are increasingly co-operating, particularly about China.

Historical suspicions mean the two have hardly been soul mates and such exchanges are unlikely to be formalised any time soon.

Just last week, a plan to formally codify military and intelligence exchanges this month was put on ice amid election-year sensitivities in Seoul.

But a range of insiders on both sides describe a flourishing relationship nonetheless.

'The stealthy nature of intelligence work is perfect for driving co-operation that would otherwise die in the light,' said one well-connected South Korean official. 'Ship visits and joint exercises might raise political temperatures in both countries, but you don't have those worries with intelligence sharing - so long as it is kept informal.'

They may be economic competitors who have routinely spied on each other, but other issues are pushing them together. Reliant on oil imports, both have a thirst for analysis on tensions in the Strait of Hormuz beyond what they get second-hand from Washington.

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