South Korea is considering sharing advanced military technology with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia through the AUKUS partnership, according to Defense Minister Shin Won-sik. The possibility of expanding cooperation beyond just submarines to include security technologies such as artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and hypersonic systems was discussed during talks between South Korea and Australia’s defense and foreign ministers in Melbourne.
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, viewing this as a significant step forward in strengthening cooperation between Korea, Japan, Australia, the United States, and India within the Quad security dialogue.