President Moon Jae-in of South Korea is in Australia to meet with Prime Minister Scott Morrison. According to analysts, the four-day visit would focus on strengthening defense relations as well as China's expanding regional influence.
President Moon Jae-in of South Korea is the first international leader to visit Australia since the country closed its borders to most foreign visitors in March 2020.
Moon and South Korea's first lady, Kim Jung-sook, were welcomed to Canberra by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday.
“I am so pleased we could join together as we have been threatening to do for many years now through COVID, and we can now come together in this way, and I am so pleased to be able to host you and to formally elevate our relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership,” Morrison said.
The leaders have committed to several new cooperative efforts in the areas of sustainable energy technologies, key resource supplies, and the military.
Hanwha, a South Korean corporation, will provide 30 howitzers, ammo supply vehicles, and radars to detect enemy artillery as part of a new 771 million dollar agreement.
It is Australia's largest military deal with an Asian country. Analysts believe South Korea is also well-positioned to win a $21.3 billion deal with Australia for new infantry attack vehicles.
Moon said the two nations were dedicated to an open, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, speaking via an interpreter.
Korea and Australia have the same ideals and are on the same page in terms of geopolitics, according to Moon. As a result, he added, Korea is focused on maintaining a strong alliance with the United States and pursuing a more balanced relationship with China.
“Australia has often looked across the table and seen South Korea and seen that it is preoccupied with developments on the Korean Peninsula, but Australia and South Korea have so many different things in common. So, having this bilateral visit is extremely important to progress the relationship forward,” Channer said.
The two countries will celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations this year.
Australia's fourth-largest commercial partner is South Korea. Since December 2014, a free-trade agreement has been in force.
