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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles met the Republic of Korea’s Minister for National Defense Lee Jong-sup to discuss deepening defence ties between the two countries.
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At the meeting in Parliament House, the ministers affirmed their commitment to the Australia-ROK defence relationship as part of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which was launched in 2021.
“I am delighted to host Minister Lee in Australia, to build on our productive discussions at the Shangri-La Dialogue in June this year,” Deputy Prime Minister Marles said.
“The security of Australia and the ROK is tied to the openness, inclusiveness and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and an enduring rules-based international order.”
On the agenda was a discussion regarding the deepening of defence ties between the two nations.
“The ROK is an important partner for Australia, particularly in the areas of military training and exercises, science and technology and defence materiel,” Deputy Prime Minister Marles said.
“I welcome the ROK’s inaugural participation in Australia’s multilateral air combat exercise Pitch Black in northern Australia next month as a tangible example of this strong partnership.”
According to a release from Deputy Prime Minister Marles’ office, Australia reaffirms its commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula, including the ongoing commitment to the United Nations Command to ensure the Armistice Agreement, as well as the strict enforcement of sanctions against North Korea.
The release also called for the “complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation” of North Korea.
[Related: South Korea to ‘cyber sanction’ the North if it conducts nuclear testing]
