Australia and South Korea: Middle power cooperation and Asian security

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) today released a new Strategic Insights paper on the future of Australia-South Korea security cooperation. This report, authored by Carl Ungerer and Simon Smith, provides a clear-eyed assessment of the small but productive role that an expanded bilateral agenda can play in maintaining regional peace and stability.

Ungerer and Smith explain why, until recently, Australia and South Korea have shown little interest in developing a more comprehensive strategic relationship. ‘Tectonic shifts’ in our region, however, have convinced policymakers in Seoul and Canberra of the value of new forms of security cooperation.

The authors maintain that South Korean President Lee Myung-bak hopes to transform his country into ‘a respected middle power with sufficient clout to effect change on the global stage.’ Greater Korean participation in international security initiatives will create new opportunities for collaboration, the report argues. Australia has already capitalised on this momentum, signing the Joint Statement on Enhanced Global and Security Cooperation with South Korea in March 2009.

Ungerer and Smith claim that building better habits of security dialogue and cooperation ‘will require a carefully balanced assessment of where and when our mutual interests coincide.’ They suggest three broad areas of security cooperation for consideration: joint activism in regional security forums, assistance with post-conflict and stabilisation operations, and strengthening cooperation among the ‘spokes’ of the San Francisco alliance system.

While the potential gains from an enhanced Australia–ROK strategic partnership would be sizeable, Ungerer and Smith warn that expectations should be tempered by the evolving complexities of the Asia-Pacific region. The barriers to new forms of security cooperation are considerable, and political leadership will be crucial if a new vision for the relationship is to be realised.

Carl Ungerer is the Program Director (National Security Program) at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

Simon Smith is a Research Analyst at the Australian Strategy Policy Institute.