Australia-Republic of Korea Foreign and Defence Ministers' meeting

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, and Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC, are today hosting the fourth Australia-Republic of Korea Foreign and Defence Ministers meeting in Sydney.

The meeting will advance cooperation on key regional security and economic issues, and reinforce Australia’s ongoing support for permanent peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, including the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea.

The 2+2 meeting is an opportunity for Australia and the Republic of Korea to deepen ties as like-minded regional democracies, and reaffirm our shared commitment to the norms and institutions that underpin our rules-based international order.

Minister Payne will meet with ROK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha to discuss the bilateral relationship, developments in the region, ways to further cooperate in meeting regional and global challenges, and to advance our already strong trade and economic relationship, underpinned by the Australia-Korea Free Trade Agreement.

The Foreign Ministers will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen our development assistance cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

Minister Reynolds will meet with ROK Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo to discuss the two countries’ defence relationship, including enhanced cooperation on defence science and technology and greater collaboration on peacekeeping.

The Defence Ministers will also sign a new Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation over the recovery of Korean War remains.

The Ministers of Australia and the Republic of Korea today laid wreaths at the Korean War Memorial in Moore Park to pay their respects to those who fought in the Korean War.