The fourth Australia-Republic of Korea 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministers meeting kick started in Sydney on Tuesday with Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne, and Minister for Defence, Senator Linda Reynolds were hosting their Korean counterparts.
“The meeting will advance cooperation on key regional security and economic issues, and reinforce Australia’s ongoing support for permanent peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, including the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea”, Ms Payne and Ms Reynolds said in a joint statement ahead of meeting.
The 2+2 meeting is an opportunity for Australia and the Republic of Korea to deepen ties as like-minded regional democracies, and reaffirm our shared commitment to the norms and institutions that underpin our rules-based international order.
“Australia is the only country after USA with whom Korea has 2+2 mechanism which shows how ROK consider Australia a crucial partner”, Mr Baeksoon Lee, Ambassador of Republic of Korea told Vibe Media on October 21, 2019.
Minister Payne will meet with ROK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha to discuss the bilateral relationship, developments in the region, ways to further cooperate in meeting regional and global challenges, and to advance our already strong trade and economic relationship, underpinned by the Australia-Korea Free Trade Agreement.
The agenda for 2+2 meeting was set during the 6th ROK-Australia Strategic Dialogue held in Seoul on October 16 at deputy ministers level.
The two Foreign Ministers will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen development assistance cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
Minister Reynolds will meet with ROK Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo to discuss the two countries’ defence relationship, including enhanced cooperation on defence science and technology and greater collaboration on peacekeeping.
The Defence Ministers will also sign a new Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation over the recovery of Korean War remains.
Earlier, the Ministers of Australia and the Republic of Korea laid wreaths at the Korean War Memorial in Moore Park to pay their respects to those who fought in the Korean War.
