Australia-Republic of Korea Foreign and Defence Ministers 2+2 Meeting

  • Joint Statement
  1. Foreign Ministers Yun Byung-se and Julie Bishopand Defence Ministers Han Min-koo and Kevin Andrews met in Sydney today at theSecond Foreign and Defence Ministers 2+2 Meeting between Australia and theRepublic of Korea (ROK) to discuss ways to advance the defence and securityrelationship.
  2. The Meeting reaffirmed the importance of the Korea-Australia partnership, based oncommon values and shared interests. It identified, through a new Defence andSecurity Cooperation Blueprintagreed today, avenues for continued cooperation in a wide range of areas,including defence cooperation,counter-proliferation, transnational law enforcement, cyber security, bordersecurity, crisis management and maritime safety.
  3. TheKorea-Australia partnership has evolved since Australian missionaries travelledto the Peninsula in the nineteenth century through the terrible conflagrationof the Korean War into a modern relationship based on strong people-to-people and trade ties. Today, the two countries have an active free tradeagreement delivering strong outcomes for both countries and an active education relationship which sees thousands of young Koreansstudying in Australia. Securitycooperation between the two countries has also continued to increasesignificantly over recent years.Both countries are vibrant democracies with market-based economies, committedto the rule of law and humanrights.
  4. The Ministers paid tribute to the 340Australian servicemen who died during the Korean War. They also recognised thecontribution of the more than 17,000 Australian troops who fought in the Warunder the United Nations Command. All four ministers paid their respects at the Korean War Memorial inSydney and spent time talking to veterans about their experiences and thankingthem for their service.
  5. The Ministers welcomed initiatives to addressthe security challenges of the region, including the Northeast Asia Peace andCooperation Initiative launched by the Korean Government. They also recognised the contribution of the US rebalancing toward Asia for peaceand stability in the region.
  6. The Ministers recommitted to holding annual Defence Ministers and ForeignMinisters bilateral meetings and biennial 2+2 joint meetings of their foreign and defence ministers, inaddition to seeking opportunities for regular bilateral heads-of-government meetings. These events sit at the pinnacleof a broad range of structured interactions and ties that make the bilateralsecurity relationship what it is today.

TheKorean Peninsula

  1. Australian Ministers agreed with ROK Ministers thatthe peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula will contribute to thepeace, security and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and beyond, andsupported the Initiative for the Peaceful Unification on the Korean Peninsulaproposed by President Park on March 28, 2014.
  2. The Ministers hoped that the agreement reached between the ROK and the DPRK on August25, 2015 will lead to advancing inter-Korean relations and called on NorthKorea to fully implement the agreement. They urged North Korea to address its terrible human rights record asdetailed by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea. The Ministers strongly deplored North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, which threatenpeace and security of the region and undermine the global non-proliferation regime. With regardto North Korea's misguided effortsto develop nuclear weapons and its economy simultaneously, the Ministers urged North Korea to fullycomply with all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions and itscommitments under the 19 September 2005 Six-Party Talks Joint Statement. Inthis regard, the ROK and Australia will continue to reiterate support for fullimplementation of all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions.Both sides urged North Korea to returnto a meaningful dialogue at an early date with sincerity, which would pave theway for the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of theKorean Peninsula.

Defence and security cooperation

  1. TheDefence and Security Cooperation Blueprint, agreed by the Ministers today, sets out the broad scope of security cooperationbetween Australia and the ROK. TheBlueprint reaffirms and builds on the Vision Statement for a Secure,Peaceful and Prosperous Future between the Republic of Korea and Australia,adopted by President Park and Prime Minister Abbott in Seoul on 8 April 2014.
  2. Recognising Australia's valuable contribution to peace andstability on the Korean Peninsula, the Ministers agreed to strengthenpractical defence cooperation.
  3. Enhanced practical defencecooperation includes increased opportunities to participate in military exercises inAustralia and the ROK, as well as cooperate regionally and globally on securityissues. Recognising the important role both countries can play on regionalsecurity issues, both defence forces will also cooperate in the preparationfor, and conduct of, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.This will build upon previous cooperation, such as Australia and the ROKworking closely together in the search for Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 andin counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.
  4. The Ministers agreed that both defence forces should workmore closely together to prepare for peacekeeping operations and tocooperate closely on peacekeeping missions where both Australian and ROKpersonnel are deployed, including exchanging personnel on thesemissions.
  5. The Ministers noted the importance ofthe United Nations Command in maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula. They welcomed Australia's continuedparticipation in United Nations Command Military Armistice Commissioninspections, investigations and observer missions to maintain the ArmisticeAgreement.
  6. The Ministers welcomed the signing ofthe Implementing Arrangement for Defence Education and Training at theAustralia-Republic of Korea Defence Ministers' Dialogue, noting the importanceof establishing military-to-military links through reciprocal attendance atjunior and senior staff courses, and the opportunities to exchange skills andknowledge through mutual participation in military training and education.
  7. The Ministers reaffirmed the importanceof Australia-ROK-United States trilateral defence cooperation, and decided to explore opportunities to increase this.
  8. The Ministers agreed to formalise cooperation in defence science andtechnology research with the establishment of a Memorandum of Understanding inDefence Science, Technology and Research. Close defence industry collaborationwould continue to be facilitated under the Defence Industry Memorandum ofUnderstanding.
  9. Underthe auspices of the new Blueprint, the Ministers also agreed to extend cooperation in a number of non-militarysecurity areas.
  10. The Ministers endorsed existingcooperation between the ROK and Australia on arms control and counter- andnon-proliferation through shared membership of bodies ranging from theInternational Atomic Energy Agency to the Proliferation Security Initiative.The two countries will continue to share information and conduct cooperativeoutreach to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
  11. Australian Ministers commended theROK on bringing under control the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndromeearlier this year. Australianand ROK Ministersagreed that the Australian Attorney-General's Department and the ROK Ministryof Public Safety and Security would begin negotiating an MOU to share lessonslearned and bolster capacity to deal with future crises. Australian and ROKmaritime safety authorities will continue close cooperation in a wide range ofactivities, including on maritime safety and search and rescue, as well asenvironmental response.
  12. Australia and the ROK will continueto work together to develop international norms for responsible state behaviourin cyberspace, and in outer space. The two countries will also cooperate ontaking forward risk reduction and conflict prevention measures in cyberspace,and to increase awareness of the importance of space security issues, including in the ASEAN Regional Forum.Computer Emergency Response Teams will cooperate under their working agreementsand cyber areas of the respective law-enforcement authorities will further strengthen theircollaboration.
  13. The Australian Federal Police andKorean National Police Agency will build on existing cooperation, includingunder their 2006 Memorandum of Understanding. They will identify opportunitiesfor cooperative training and cooperation on counter-terrorism. Police agencies,as well as respective immigration authorities, will work together and with BaliProcess partners on the illegal movement of people.
  14. The Australian Department ofImmigration and Border Protection and its ROK counterpart authorities, including Korea Immigration Service, Korea Customs Service and theMinistry of Oceans and Fisheries, will consult and, where mutually agreeable, advance their capacity to collaborate onborder security.
  15. Australia and the ROK will continueto work together on issues in the Pacific, building that region's resiliency inthe face of disasters. The two countriesagreed to hold annual meetings on cooperation in the Pacific and to endeavor toinclude the other in existing multilateral Pacific dialogues.

Regional architecture and globalissues

  1. The Ministers agreed to use Australia and the ROK's positions as significantpowers and major economies to bolster regional architecture and contribute to arules-based international order. This would build on their partnership asformer non-permanent United Nations Security Council members and cooperation inregional fora such as the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum and APEC.Australia thanked ROK for its strong leadership as the 2014-15 coordinator ofMIKTA – the group of significant powers comprising Mexico, Indonesia, Korea,Turkey and Australia – and undertook to keep working with partners in MIKTA toenhance regional and global stability and prosperity during Australia's year inthe role (2015).
  2. The Ministers agreed to work closely tosupport Turkey's G20 Presidency and to build on the outcomes of the last G20 Summitin Brisbane. A focus of cooperation will be implementing growth strategiesagreed in Brisbane.
  3. The two countries committed tobolstering the work of the East Asia Summit, and other regional institutions.Australia and the ROK have clear shared strategic interest in buildingeffective regional institutions that can help manage strategic challenges andbuild habits of cooperation and consultation. The Ministers welcomed positivediscussions at the August East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting and ASEANRegional Forum Ministerial Meeting in Kuala Lumpur that included substantivediscussions on the Korean Peninsula and support for regional cooperation onmaritime issues and countering violent extremism. The Ministers also acknowledged the roleof the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM Plus) as a means of enhancingpractical military cooperation.
  4. Australia and the ROK reiterated theirintention to continue to promote maritime security and safety in accordancewith the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and otherrelevant international norms and the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight.The Ministerssupported efforts by ASEAN and China to fully and effectively implement theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea andemphasised the importance of exercising self-restraint in the conduct ofactivities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace andstability. At the same time, the Ministers called for an early conclusion of a meaningful Code of Conduct in anexpeditious manner.

Next Meeting

  1. ROK Foreignand Defence Ministers thanked their Australian counterparts for extending warmhospitality and organizing this Meeting in an efficient and effective way. Thefour Ministers agreed to hold the next 2+2 meeting in Seoul, the ROK in2017.

Blueprint forDefence and Security Cooperation BetweenAustralia and the Republic of Korea

11September 2015

1. Senior Dialogues and Consultation

Activity or proposed activity

  1. Australiaand the Republic of Korea (ROK) hold biennial Foreign and DefenceMinisters' 2+2 meetings.
  2. Both sides hold ForeignMinisters' meetings in either country or in the margins of plurilateral eventsat least annually.
  3. Both sides hold Defence Ministers'dialogues in either country or in the margins of plurilateralevents at least annually.
  4. Bothsides seek opportunities for regular bilateral Heads-of-Governmentmeetings in either country or on the margins of plurilateral events.
  5. Bothsides hold annual Strategic Dialogue Talks (Foreign Ministry Deputy Secretary/Deputy Minister level, Defence FirstAssistant Secretary /Director-General or DeputyDirector-General level).
  6. Both sides hold annual Defence Policy Talks (First Assistant Secretary /Director-General level).

2. Defence Cooperation

Activity or proposed activity

  1. Australiaand the ROK maintain regular service-to-service dialogues between ourrespective Navies, Armies and Air Forces.
  2. Exerciseparticipation and defencecooperation.
    • Both sides willincrease patterns of bilateral and joint exercising,including:
      • practical participation by Australian personneland units in field training exercises in the ROK;
      • practical participation by ROK personnel andunits in field training exercises in Australia;
      • joint preparation and trainingopportunities for security, stability, humanitarian assistance and disasterrelief exercises and operations; and
      • unit cooperation and personnel exchangein security, stability, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercisesand operations.
    • Bothsides continue to utilise the bilateral anti-submarine warfare exercise HAEDOLIWALLABY as the premier bilateral practical defence exercise between the twocountries, committing to conduct this every two years, hosting alternativelywhere practicable.
    • Bothsides continue to develop the complexity of exercises of opportunity betweenthe Australian and ROK Navies, including during reciprocal port visits andcoincident deployments.
  3. TrilateralAustralia-Republic of Korea-United States Defence Engagement.
  • Both sides exploreopportunities for increased practical trilateral defence cooperation.
  • Seniorvisits.
    • Bothsides commit to reciprocal counterpart visits for senior Defence Force officersand Department officials, including respective Chiefs and Vice Chiefs ofDefence Forces, and Service Chiefs.
  • PeacekeepingCooperation.
    • Both sides progress from a collaborative approach ininformation sharing on peacekeeping operations to working together inpreparation for peacekeeping operations and to exchangingpersonnel on peacekeeping missions where both the ROK and Australia areparticipating.
  • DefenceCooperation Agreements.
    • Both sides update the 2011 Memorandum ofUnderstanding in the field of defence cooperation to reflect the expandingdefence relationship between Australia and the ROK, including developing a mutualunderstanding of the requirements for Australian personnel in the ROK,and ROK personnel in Australia.
    • Both sides update the2010 Agreement on the Protection of Classified Military Information to ensureit continues to reflect the advanced state of defence engagement andrequirements for sharing classified information.
  • UnitedNations Command.
    • Both sidescontinue to explore further opportunities for Australia to actively contributeto the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula by participating in ROK-UScombined exercises as a sending state of the United Nations Command.
    • Australiacontinues to participate in United Nations Command Military ArmisticeCommission inspections, investigations and observer missions to maintain theArmistice Agreement.
  • Logistics.
    • Both sides conduct annual Mutual Logistics Cooperation Meetings tocontinue expanding the logistics collaboration between Australia and the ROK.
    • Both sides conduct annual Ammunition Working Group Meetings tostrengthen mutual ammunition support between the two countries.
  • DefenceScience and Technology.
    • Both sides establish a Memorandum ofUnderstanding between the Australian Defence Science and TechnologyOrganisation and the ROK Defense Acquisition Program Administration.
    • Both sides establish regular JointSteering Committee meeting regime chaired by the Australian Chief DefenceScientist, or designated representative, and the ROK Director-General ofAcquisition Planning Bureau.
    • Both sides identify potentialcollaborative Defence Science and Technology activities of mutual interest,where resources allow.
  • Educationand Training.
    • Both sides establish an ImplementingArrangement on expanded Defence education and training engagement.
    • Both sides establish reciprocalattendance on long term junior staff courses between the Australian Command andStaff College and the ROK Joint Forces Military University.
    • Both sides establish reciprocalattendance on long term senior staff courses between the Australian Centre forDefence and Strategic Studies and the ROK National Defense University.
    • Australia establishes a position for anROK military cadet to attend the Australian Defence Force Academy.
  • Dialogue.
    • Both sides actively participate in dialogue betweensecurity institutions in both countries, including 1.5 track dialogues, inareas of shared strategic importance, includingnon-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and cyber cooperation.
  • DefenceIndustry Cooperation.
    • Bothsides renew the arrangements on defense industrycooperation betweenthe Defense Acquisition Program Administration of the ROK and the Department of Defence,Australia.
    • Bothsides continue defense industrial cooperation and explore opportunities toexpand constructive mutual exchanges by holding the regular bilateral JointDefense Industry Cooperation Committee Meeting.
  • Maritime Security.
    • Both sides actively promote maritime security andsafety in accordance withthe United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea and other relevant international norms.
    • Both sides participate in counter-piracydialogues and practical engagement to further strengthen the cooperationbetween the two countries in this area.
    • Both sides expand the opportunities for personnelexchanges and unit interaction during maritime security deployments such ascoincident counter-piracy deployments in the Gulf of Aden.
  • Information and Communication Technology.
    • Bothsides conduct annual information and communication technology talks to continueto ensure that thecommunication and information sharing protocols enable and support increasedpractical engagement.

    • 3. Counter-Proliferation

    Activity or proposed activity

    1. Australiaand the ROK strengthen cooperation in global and regional non-proliferationand arms control fora,including:
      • conducting regular informal exchange ofviews through foreign ministries; and
      • sharing information and conductingcooperative outreach to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

    4. TransnationalLaw Enforcement

    Activity or proposed activity

    1. TheAustralian Federal Police (AFP) and the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA)will continue to consult and, where mutually decided, enhance operationalcooperation as outlined in the June 2006 Memorandum of Understanding betweenthe AFP and the KNPA on Combating Transnational Crime and Developing PoliceCooperation.
    2. Inaddition, the AFP and KNPA will:
      • build on HongKong-based AFP and Sydney-based KNPA liaison;
      • identify mutuallybeneficial law-enforcement training opportunities to enhance interoperability,including with regional partners;
      • cooperatebilaterally and with other Bali Process members to combat people smuggling andtrafficking in persons in the Asia-Pacific region;
      • enhancepolice-to-police cooperation on counter-terrorism, including intelligencesharing on counter-terrorismmatters; and
      • explore scope fora joint police-to-police counter-terrorism cooperation plan.

    5. CyberSecurity and Space Security

    Activity or proposed activity

    1. Australiaand the ROK will continue to hold a bilateral cyber-policy dialogue,meeting regularly to address common cyber threats and contribute to international efforts to ensure open and secure cyberspaceincluding discussions on international norms on cyberspace.
    2. Bothsides will also cooperate on space security.
    3. Therespective national Computer Emergency Response Teams will deepen cybersecurity collaboration under the existing arrangements between KrCERT/CC andCERT Australia, including on information sharing.
    4. Bothsides will also continue to pursue increased regional and global collaborationon cyber security, including through the multilateral Asia Pacific ComputerEmergency Response Team (APCERT).
    5. Bothsides' respective law enforcement agencies, in particular the Cyber Bureau ofKorean National Police Agency and the Organised Crime and Cyber portfolio ofthe Australian Federal Police, commit to strengthening police-to-policecooperation.

    6. BorderSecurity

    Activity or proposed activity

    1. The AustralianDepartment of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) and Korea Immigration service will consult andwhere mutually decided, advance the capacity of our border agencies tocollaborate in areas of mutual interest, such as:
      • electronicbiometrics and identity management, including the processing of passport bio-dataat the border within the limitof relevant laws and systems of each country;
      • mutuallybeneficial training opportunities (e.g. cooperation on forgery trends,identification, or immigration policy or others); and
      • regionalcooperation through the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking inPersons and Related Transnational Crime.
    2. DIBP and theKorea Customs Service will consult and where mutually decided, advance thecapacity of our border agencies to collaborate in areas of mutual interest,such as:
      • exploration of opportunities to test interoperability and examineelectronic submission of trade-related reporting requirements; and
      • mutually beneficial training opportunities (e.g. cooperation on thedetector dog programme and express mail/x-ray screening) to enhanceinteroperability.
    3. DIBP and Ministry ofOceans and Fisheries will consult and where mutually decided, advancethe capacity of our border agencies to collaborate in areas of mutual interest,such as:
      • enhancedoperational cooperation in combating piracy and armed robbery at sea asoutlined under the Regional CooperationAgreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).

    7. The Pacific

    Activity or proposed activity

    1. Australiaand the ROK strengthen economic prosperity, peace and stability in thePacific region through better coordination in the fields of sustainabledevelopment, disaster relief, and diplomatic and multilateral cooperation.
    2. Recognisingthat real change to the lives of the people in the Pacific will only come aboutthrough local leadership by Pacific Island Countries (PICs), both sides support the efforts of the PICs toenhance complementarity between their activities to better meet theirdevelopment priorities and give effect to the 2030 Agenda for SustainableDevelopment consistent with the principles of the Forum Compact the BusanPartnership for Effective Development Cooperation.
    3. Bothsides will do this through:
      • annual bilateralmeetings on cooperation in the Pacific, including Strategic Dialogue Talks;
      • Australianominating the ROK for observer status at the Pacific Heptagon meetings; and
      • additional ad hocmeetings of DFAT and MOFA staff where suitable on better Pacific cooperation.

    8. Crisis Management

    Activity or proposed activity

    1. The AustralianAttorney-General's Department and the ROK Ministry of Public Safety andSecurity will enhance relations and interoperability through negotiation of aninteragency Memorandum of Understanding, identifying areas for collaboration thatserve both nations' emergency management policy and operational interests.
    2. Bothsides will maintain existing commitments to cooperate on activities of mutualinterest within multilateral fora, including:
      • the East AsiaSummit through the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management sessions on disastermanagement cooperation;
      • the APECEmergency Preparedness Working Group and Senior Disaster Management Officialsfora; and
      • ASEAN RegionalForum Intercessional Meetings on Disaster Relief.

    9. Maritime Safety

    Activity or proposed activity

    1. Ourmaritime safety authorities, including the Australian Maritime Safety Authority(AMSA) and ROK maritime agencies, will continue to cooperate closely in a broadrange of activities including on:
      • maritime safety;
      • maritime searchand rescue;
      • marine oil spillprevention and response;
      • e-navigation; and
      • protection of themarine environment.
    2. Participatingagencies will continue cooperation under the three memoranda of understandingsigned in recent years between AMSA and Korea Coast Guard (2012), Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (2013), and the KoreanRegister of Shipping (2013).
    3. Bothsides will maintain consultation on policy and operational matters in order toenhance and develop collaboration and exchange of information on matters ofmutual interest, and identify opportunities to enhance the capabilities,including with respect to:
      • the Memorandum ofUnderstanding on Port State Control in the Asia-Pacific Region (the Tokyo MOU);
      • the InternationalMaritime Organization (IMO);
      • the InternationalAssociation of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA);
      • the Heads ofAsian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM);
      • the Associationof Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and
      • the Asia-PacificHeads of Maritime Safety Agencies (APHoMSA) forum.

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