Australia-South Korea 2+2 meeting in Melbourne, May 1. (Source: AFP)

At this 2+2 meeting, the ministers committed to expanding and strengthening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region – both bilaterally and with regional partners and institutions – to promote stability, prosperity and respect for international law in the region.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong welcomed the Republic of Korea's Indo-Pacific Strategy and Seoul's commitments to greater engagement with the region and close cooperation with partners.

The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the ASEAN-led regional architecture, as well as their commitment to working with the Pacific Islands Forum; expressed their support for the implementation of the “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific” (AOIP), and committed to exploring opportunities for Australia and the Republic of Korea to further cooperate in Southeast Asia, including the Mekong Sub-region.

The two sides highlighted the importance of managing strategic competition responsibly; reaffirmed the need to promote open and transparent channels of communication and practical measures to reduce the risk of misunderstanding, miscalculation, escalation and conflict in the region, as well as the importance of abiding by international law and refraining from destabilizing behavior.

Regarding the situation in the East Sea, the ministers stressed the importance of maintaining peace, security, stability and freedom of navigation and overflight in and above the East Sea and the East China Sea, in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The ministers reaffirmed the importance of peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 UNCLOS.

Australia and the Republic of Korea affirmed their commitment under the Memorandum of Understanding on Critical Technology and Cyber ​​Cooperation, agreeing to expand cooperation in setting standards in emerging critical technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technology and telecommunications. The Ministers noted the opportunities and challenges posed by AI in the military domain.

The two sides reiterated their commitment to strengthening the global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament architecture, including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, as the foundation of the global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime, and resolved to continue their efforts towards a world free of nuclear weapons.

The Republic of Korea and Australia acknowledged the strategic alignment between the two countries, as reflected in the Republic of Korea’s National Security Strategy and the Australian Government’s National Defense Strategy. The Ministers agreed to develop a long-term bilateral defense cooperation framework to facilitate joint operations and exercises.

On global cooperation, the ministers agreed to work closely with regional and global partners to seek consensus solutions to global challenges and ensure the multilateral system continues to deliver for the region.

Regarding economic cooperation, the ministers reaffirmed the energy partnership between Korea and Australia and the opportunities for both countries to build clean energy supply chains and support regional decarbonization, including energy trade. Both sides affirmed the importance of energy security through the net zero emissions transition.

The ministers welcomed the Australia-ROK 2+2 Dialogue, which will enhance the partnership between the two countries on energy security, climate and the green economy. They also reiterated their commitment to the principles of open, inclusive, sustainable and transparent market economies and the rules-based multilateral trading system.

Australia and the Republic of Korea reaffirmed the growing convergence and importance of close cooperation between the two countries, reiterated their commitment to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership and strengthening cooperation in the changing strategic landscape.