S. Korea, Australia hold vice-ministerial talks on Indo-Pacific strategy, bilateral ties

SEOUL, Senior diplomats of South Korea and Australia held talks in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss joint efforts to boost bilateral cooperation in their Indo-Pacific strategies and a wide range of issues, the foreign ministry said. Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Byung-won met with his Australian counterpart, Elly Lawson, deputy secretary of the Strategic Planning and Coordination Group at the Australian foreign ministry, Seoul's ministry said. The two sides shared the view that their bilateral ties are strengthening in the military and defense sectors, pointing to a contract signed last year on infantry fighting vehicles. In December, the Australian subsidiary of Hanwha Aerospace signed a 3.1 trillion-won (US$2.4 billion) deal to sell 129 Redback infantry fighting vehicles to Australia. During the talks, they also agreed to continue close cooperation in their Indo-Pacific strategies to create a "synergy" effect in the region. The two sides discussed North Korea's recent developments, noting that its nuclear and missile program and growing military cooperation with Russia pose a serious threat to peace and stability in the region and beyond. Source: Yonhap News Agency