HIROSHIMA, Japan, May 19 — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese agreed on Friday to step up cooperation in the defense and weapons industries, the South Korean presidential office said.
Yoon and the Albanians met on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G-7) summit in Hiroshima, Japan, highlighting progress made since the two countries upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021. According to presidential spokesman Lee Do-woon.
“Based on the achievements so far, (the leaders) agreed to further expand cooperation in the defense and arms fields,” Li said in a written press release.
Yoon and Albanese called for closer cooperation to promote regional peace, as their countries share the values of freedom.
Albanese said he expected the two countries to take detailed steps to enhance arms cooperation during the scheduled visit of Australia’s defense minister to South Korea next week.
According to Lee, the Australian prime minister expressed hope that the two countries would increase the frequency of regional military exercises in which South Korea and Australia are participating.
The two leaders also agreed to work more closely based on the common understanding that North Korea’s unprecedented provocations pose a serious threat to peace and prosperity in the region and the world.
Yoon said he plans to strengthen strategic communication with Australia, a key like-minded country in the region, to implement his administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
Albanese expressed his strong concurrence, saying that he appreciated Yoon’s leadership in improving relations between South Korea and Japan and promoting peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
The two leaders also agreed on the need for both countries with complementary economic structures to maintain stable trade in key minerals necessary for the development of cutting-edge industries of the future, while continuing to cooperate for the stabilization of global supply chains.
This is the second summit between the UN and Albania, following one during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Spain last June.
Yoon arrived in Hiroshima on Friday for a three-day visit, and will attend the G-7 summit as well as a number of bilateral and trilateral meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and US President Joe Biden.
