The AUKUS partnership between South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia is considering sharing advanced military technology, including artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and hypersonic systems. This was announced by South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik following discussions held with Australia’s defense and foreign ministers in Melbourne.
Under AUKUS Pillar 2, the countries may broaden their cooperation to include these security technologies. Shin expressed gratitude for South Korea’s invitation from the three AUKUS partners and highlighted that South Korea’s defense science and technology capabilities would contribute to regional peace and stability.
Japan is also making progress towards engaging in formal discussions to join AUKUS Pillar 2’s technology development and sharing efforts. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles welcomed South Korea’s initiatives to strengthen ties with Japan, emphasizing the positive impact this would have on the strategic landscape of the region.
Marles expressed optimism about the collaborative efforts between Korea and Australia to uphold the rules-based order within the region and globally. He views this as a significant step forward in strengthening cooperation between Korea, Japan, Australia, the United States, and India within the Quad security dialogue.