1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin visited Jakarta, Indonesia, to attend the ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meetings, and met with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia Penny Wong on July 13 at 11:30-12:00 (local time). In the meeting, the two sides had in-depth discussions on issues of mutual interest, including the Korea-Australia relations, the situations in the region and on the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific Strategy, and substantive cooperation.

2. The two Foreign Ministers appreciated that since Korea and Australia, as countries in the region that share values, upgraded their relations to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021, high-level exchanges between the two countries have been more active than ever. They also agreed to further solidify bilateral relations through cooperation in a range of areas.

3. Foreign Minister Park took note that close communication and coordination is continuing between the two countries on various occasions, including the Korea-Australia Summit (May 19) on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles’ visit to Korea (May 29) for the 2023 Korea-Pacific Islands Summit, and the AP4 (Korea, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand) leaders’ meeting (July 12) on the sidelines of the NATO Summit.

4. The two Foreign Ministers also agreed to further strengthen solidarity and strategic communication between the two countries for peace and prosperity in the region, as the two countries have similar views on the Indo-Pacific. Foreign Minister Park suggested continuing to work together on issues discussed between the two countries, including defense and the defense industry, supply chains of critical minerals, and cooperation on social and cultural affairs.

5. Furthermore, the two Foreign Ministers shared the view that North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, including the launch of a long-range ballistic missile on July 12, pose a serious challenge to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific, and the international community, and a united response of the international community to the threats is important.

6. The Korea-Australia Foreign Ministers’ meeting, which was held about one year after last year’s ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meetings, served as an opportunity to continue stepping up cooperation between the two countries which has been expanding in a variety of fields.