VISIT TO THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND JAPAN

I will visit the Republic of Korea and Japan from 20 to 23 November to advance Australia’s relationships with two of our most important economic and strategic partners in the Indo-Pacific.

 

In the Republic of Korea, I will reinforce Australia’s ongoing support for peace on the Korean Peninsula, which includes our commitment to maintaining sanctions and enforcement measures against North Korea, and complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearisation of the Peninsula.

 

I will also focus on our common experiences and efforts in promoting gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. This will include meeting with Gender Equality and Family Minister Lee Jung-Ok.

 

In Japan, I will attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Nagoya where my counterparts and I will discuss further strengthening the G20.

 

I look forward to meeting again with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi to further our close bilateral cooperation under our Special Strategic Partnership. This will include co-chairing with Foreign Minister Motegi the 10th Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI), of which Australia is current coordinator (from 2018-2020). 

 

My visit to both nations is an opportunity to advance Australia’s interests, deepen ties with like-minded regional democracies, and reaffirm our shared commitment to the multilateral institutions that underpin our rules-based international order and to a stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific.