Representatives from the 18 members of the Pacific Islands Forum have been invited to the summit in Seoul to develop stronger cooperation between Korea and the PIF for a secure, peaceful, and prosperous region.

Minister Marles said Australia and Korea share a comprehensive strategic partnership underpinned by shared values and common strategic interests.

“I look forward to visiting Seoul for the historic inaugural Korea-Pacific Islands Forum Summit,” he said.

“With the release of its Indo-Pacific Strategy in December 2022, Korea demonstrates its commitment to the Pacific as an engaged and reliable partner.

“Australia welcomes Korea’s interest in deepening ties with the Pacific and looks forward to building on our foundation of shared values to promote our mutual interest in a prosperous and resilient Pacific.

“This year marks the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice Agreement, making it a significant time to commit to ongoing stability within our region. Australia will look to commemorate this occasion with Korea later this year.”

Robert Dougherty

Robert is a senior journalist who has previously worked for Seven West Media in Western Australia, as well as Fairfax Media and Australian Community Media in New South Wales. He has produced national headlines, photography and videography of emergency services, business, community, defence and government news across Australia. Robert graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in Public Relations and Journalism at Curtin University, attended student exchange program with Fudan University and holds Tier 1 General Advice certification for Kaplan Professional. Reach out via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via LinkedIn.