During a meeting between South Korea and Australia’s defense and foreign ministers in Melbourne, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik discussed the potential for sharing advanced military technology with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia through the AUKUS partnership. The AUKUS agreement involves providing Australia with submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology to counter China’s military presence.
Under the AUKUS Pillar 2 framework, the partnership could expand to include cooperation on security technologies such as artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and hypersonic systems. Shin expressed South Korea’s willingness to participate as an AUKUS Pillar 2 partner, stating that their defense capabilities would contribute to regional peace and stability.
Japan is also pursuing discussions to join AUKUS Pillar 2 for technology development and sharing. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles applauded South Korea’s efforts to enhance its relationship with Japan, highlighting the opportunity for greater cooperation in the region. The Quad, a security dialogue involving Australia, the United States, Japan, and India, aims to uphold the rules-based order within the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.