Australia-Korea maritime security: coordinating capacity in the Indo-Pacific

<p dir="ltr">Australia and the Republic of Korea are increasingly drawn together by shared interests and mutual concerns in the Indo-Pacific—a region that has become an epicentre of strategic competition, economic interdependence, and regional cooperation. While both countries are firmly aligned with the US-led alliance system, their regional outlooks, strategic cultures, and geopolitical priorities exhibit important differences. Australia and South Korea’s regional outlooks diverge due to differing threat perceptions and historical experiences, with Australia prioritising a free and open Indo-Pacific with a strong focus on China’s regional assertiveness, whereas South Korea remains primarily concerned with deterrence on the Korean Peninsula and managing its complex relationship with North Korea. Nonetheless, evolving regional dynamics, including maritime challenges and shifting power balances, could provide new opportunities for Australia and Korea to deepen cooperation.</p>