Marles hosts Korean defense counterpart

THE Republic of Korea’s (ROK) Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-Sup was last week taken on a tour of the region by his Australian counterpart and member for Corio Richard Marles as the two nations speak of strengthening ties.

Also accompanied by Corangamite MP Libby Coker and various senior military dignitaries, the delegation visited the Avalon site of Korean arms builder Hanwha on Friday (August 5), where it will be building self-propelled howitzers as part of a $1 billion defence contract with the Australian Army.

Currently under construction and due to open in 2024, the company and site received much attention in April when former Prime Minister Scott Morrison stopped in for a sod-turning event on the election campaign trail.

“It was great to see first-hand the reinvigoration of the defence industry and materiel cooperation relationship between our two countries,” Mr Marles said.

The contingent also visited Deakin university, that last year signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hanwha to drive collaboration on advanced technologies at the school’s innovation hub ManuFutures.
The regional tour capped off several days of meetings between the two defense ministers that coincided with heightened regional tensions caused by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and China’s subsequent war drills in the region.

Mr Marles emphasised Australia’s growing military ties with the Korean Republic, stating that country is an important partner “particularly in the areas of military training and exercise, science and technology and defence materiel.”

“I welcome the ROK’s inaugural participation in Australia’s multilateral air combat exercise Pitch Black in northern Australia next month as a tangible example of this strong partnership,” he said.