South Korea, Australia Foreign Ministers to Hold Talks on Defense Cooperation, Middle East Crisis
Quick Look
- South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will meet with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Seoul on Thursday to discuss enhancing defense cooperation and joint efforts to address supply chain instability amid the Middle East crisis.
- The meeting follows a phone call between the two diplomats on March 16.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
South Korea and Australia are both U.S. allies and have been expanding their security cooperation in recent years. The meeting comes amid ongoing Middle East tensions that have disrupted global supply chains and energy markets.
SEOUL, April 27 (Yonhap) -- The top diplomats of South Korea and Australia will hold talks later this week on a range of shared issues, including enhancing defense cooperation and joint efforts to address supply chain instability amid the Middle East crisis, the foreign ministry said Monday. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will meet with his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, for bilateral talks in Seoul on Thursday, the ministry said in a press release. The two sides are expected to reaffirm their commitments to working together to address common challenges in relation to the current situation in the Middle East and the global energy crisis, the ministry said. They will also discuss efforts to deepen cooperation in the defense and defense industry sectors, it added. The meeting will come about a month after the two top diplomats spoke over the phone on March 16.
Open Questions
- What specific defense cooperation initiatives will be discussed
- Will any defense industry agreements be signed
- How will the two countries coordinate on Middle East evacuation plans
