South Korea and Australia will hold their “two plus two” talks among their foreign and defense ministers in Australia next week, Seoul officials said Thursday.

The talks will take place Wednesday, in what will be the first high-level gathering between the two countries in more than two years.

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Defense Minister Shin Won-sik will hold talks with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defense Minister Richard Marles, officials said.

Cho and Shin are also expected to meet bilaterally with their respective counterparts. They will have a joint press conference after the talks.

“We expect the talks will serve as an occasion that will further solidify the ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’ with Australia, a key like-minded partner in the region that shares values,” the foreign ministry said in a release.

The last such meeting took place in Seoul in September 2021. The sixth session was initially set for October last year, but it was canceled as tensions in the Middle East a
mid the Israel-Hamas conflict prompted countries to attend to the urgency of the situation.

Australia is the only country with which South Korea holds regular talks of the foreign and defense chiefs besides its ally, the United States.

During the talks, the two sides are expected to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, from deepening cooperation in the defense sector and the situation on the Korean Peninsula to regional and global issues.

They are also likely to reaffirm the commitment to strengthening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, considered an important strategic area by both countries.

Also drawing attention is whether the talks will touch on the possibility of South Korea participating in one of the two pillars of the AUKUS security partnership, comprising Australia, Britain and the U.S.

AUKUS, launched in September 2021, is largely seen as a group of like-minded countries formed to counter China’s assertiveness.

Early last month, a U.S. official said South Korea is one of a
few countries considered potential partners for cooperation in AUKUS high-tech areas, quantum computing, artificial intelligence and hypersonics.

While in Australia, Cho also plans to meet with the South Korean community, including businesspeople, residents and students.

Source: Yonhap News Agency