As instability in the Indo-Pacific region increases, the need for middle-power cooperation grows according to a new report from the United States Studies Centre (USSC) at the University of Sydney and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea.

In Buffeting winds: Moving the Australia-ROK bilateral partnership forward in a period of uncertainty, authors USSC Director of Foreign Policy and Defence Prof. Peter Dean and USSC Research Associate Kester Abbott discuss emerging themes from engagements with more than 90 South Korean and Australian defence and foreign policy experts; current and former officials, diplomatic representatives; and track 1.5 and 2 workshops in Canberra and Seoul.

“There is no doubt that this has been a trying time for the region, but the shifting power dynamics make the imperative for cooperation between different middle powers, Australia and Korea in particular, that much stronger,” Prof. Dean said.

In spite of the challenges, the report encourages a longer-term view of the Australia-South Korea relationship to withstand increased tumult in the region. It recommends sustaining and deepening diplomatic and political engagement and cooperation; taking proactive measures to strengthen economic ties; maintaining people-to-people ties and exploring new security cooperation initiatives.

“The Australia-Korea relationship goes through cycles where the window for collaboration opens and closes. Current political developments in the ROK and internationally have the potential to strain cooperation. However, overriding regional and international challenges means that the two middle powers would benefit from sustaining their engagement and, in fact, benefit from strengthening ties in key areas to better weather the winds of change that will likely increase in coming years,” Prof. Dean concluded.

Rather than being dictated by changing forces, the two middle powers would benefit from strengthening ties to better weather the winds of change that will likely increase in coming years,” Prof. Dean concluded.

Recommendations

For Australia and South Korea to deepen cooperation in ways that are practical in reach and deliver maximum impact, they should:

  1. Sustain diplomatic and political engagement: Australian officials in Canberra and Seoul will need to ensure that prominent South Korean political candidates fully recognise the value of maintaining strong bilateral ties.
  2. Rapidly and proactively respond to protect the liberal international trading order: To counter potential economic disruptions from major powers, both countries should deepen regional economic ties.
  3. A New Southern Policy redux? Australia-ROK defence cooperation in Southeast Asia: This should focus on deconfliction to enable both countries to capitalise on their respective defence and defence industrial strengths.
  4. Maintain recent people-to-people ties to explore future security collaboration: Amid increased uncertainty, it is essential that both nations maintain momentum through their growing network of dialogue forums across the track 1, 1.5, and 2 levels to shape the future of their cooperation.

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