South Korea’s Defense Minister Looks to Extend AUKUS Partnership to Include Advanced Military Technology Sharing

South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik announced that his government is considering sharing advanced military technology with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia through the AUKUS partnership. This revelation came after discussions between South Korea and Australia’s defense and foreign ministers in Melbourne. The potential partnership may extend beyond submarines to cover a wider range of security technologies such as artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and hypersonic systems, which fall under AUKUS Pillar 2.

South Korea is honored by the invitation to join the AUKUS Pillar 2 partnership, with Defense Minister Shin expressing optimism about how their defense science and technology capabilities could contribute to collective peace and stability within the region. In addition to South Korea, Japan is also on track to enter formal discussions to participate in AUKUS Pillar 2’s technology development and sharing initiatives. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles praised South Korea for strengthening ties with Japan and emphasized the significance of this move in the strategic landscape of the region.

The United States and the United Kingdom previously agreed to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines to counter China’s military presence under the AUKUS agreement. The potential partnership may extend beyond submarines to cover a wider range of security technologies such as artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and hypersonic systems. These technologies fall under AUKUS Pillar 2, which aims to strengthen security cooperation between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States in areas such as cybersecurity, space exploration, and artificial intelligence.

Defense Minister Shin expressed gratitude for this opportunity to share advanced military technology with like-minded partners who share similar values of peace and stability in our region. He also emphasized that this collaboration will help South Korea enhance its defense capabilities while contributing positively towards global security efforts. He added that he believes this partnership will pave way for stronger relations between South Korea and its allies in terms of defense cooperation.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles highlighted how important it was for Australia