1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin had a telephone conversation with Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia Penny Wong on the afternoon of October 19, during which the two sides discussed bilateral relations, cooperation in defense and related industries and other substantive areas, and regional affairs.

2. Foreign Minister Park noted with appreciation that the Korea-Australia relationship is growing closer, citing his meeting earlier in the day with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence of Australia Richard Marles who was on a visit to Korea for Seoul Defense Dialogue 2023.

3. Foreign Minister Wong shared the view that the two countries are communicating with each other more actively than ever before, and suggested that they maintain the momentum of close high-level exchanges.

4. The two Foreign Ministers appreciated that as key like-minded countries in the region and comprehensive partners, Korea and Australia have been stepping up cooperation in diverse areas, including defense and relevant industries, economy, and energy and climate change.

5. The two Foreign Ministers agreed to bolster strategic communication and solidarity between the two countries based on their similar visions for the Indo-Pacific region. They also discussed key global issues, including the situation in the Middle East.