Abstract: The article is dedicated to the analysis of the impact of historical disputes on the relations between the Republic of Korea and Japan in the context of the transformation of the security architecture in Northeast Asia. It examines the influence of memory politics on the military-political interactions between Tokyo and Seoul, as well as the formation of a regional security system amid U.S.-China rivalry. Special attention is given to the impact of unresolved issues related to colonial history on the institutionalization of bilateral cooperation and the sustainability of strategic coordination mechanisms. The functioning of the General Agreement on Military Information Exchange is discussed, along with the evolution of Japanese security policy and its perception in the Republic of Korea in the context of historical memory. The role of the United States as a mediator in Japan-Korea interactions is analyzed, as well as China's use of historical narratives as a tool for foreign policy influence on the regional balance of power in East Asia. The methodological framework of the study comprises historical-political, institutional, and comparative analysis methods, as well as elements of a constructivist approach to the study of memory politics and international security. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the consideration of historical disputes between the Republic of Korea and Japan not only as a bilateral political-historical phenomenon but also as a factor in the transformation of the regional security architecture amid U.S.-China competition. The article shows that memory politics has a direct impact on the institutionalization of security interactions and limits the possibilities of forming sustainable mechanisms for military-political coordination between Tokyo and Seoul. It is established that the General Agreement on Military Information Exchange mainly functions as a tool for pragmatic interaction, maintaining a high dependence on external mediation by the United States and the internal political dynamics of both countries. It concludes that the strengthening of Japanese military activity contributes to the further politicization of historical memory in the Republic of Korea and intensifies the contradictions between the strategic necessity of cooperation and the persistent public distrust of Japan. At the same time, it is shown that China uses historical narratives as a tool to limit the deepening of U.S.-Japan-Korea interactions and to shape a regional balance of power favorable to Beijing. As a result, historical disputes continue to be one of the key factors in the transformation of the security system in Northeast Asia.

Keywords: historical memory, Republic of Korea, Japan, Japan–South Korea relations, regional security architecture, memory politics, GSOMIA, regional security, Northeast Asia, geopolitical competition