Peers not partners? Towards a deeper Australia-Korea partnership
By Kyle Springer
In May 2021, Perth USAsia Centre and the Asan Institute for Policy Studies convened a virtual dialogue on the prospects of the Australia-Korea partnership. It drew together nineteen experts on security, economic policy, diplomacy, and business from both countries. Sponsored by the Australia-Korea Foundation, discussions were structured into four sessions focussed on defining the current state of relations, cooperation to manage geoeconomic threats, security and defence, and cooperation with other Indo-Pacific countries.
This report summarises the key findings, insights and recommendation generated by the Australia-Korea dialogue. Reflecting the diversity of views presented by the group, it is not a ‘consensus statement’, but rather an expert-informed overview of the past, present and future of Australia-Korea relations. It argues that Australia and Korea are in a position to shape the economic architecture of the region, extend their security focus beyond concerns on the Korean peninsula, and coordinate their activity with key partners in the Indo-Pacific region.
On Wednesday 30 June, the Perth USAsia Centre held a public webinar to launch Kyle Springer’s recent publication: Peers not Partners? Towards a Deeper Korea-Australia Partnership. This report followed a series of workshops hosted by the Perth USAsia Centre in collaboration with the Asan Institute for Policy Studies and was supported by a grant from the Australia-Korea Foundation through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.