(Unofficial Translation)

Prime Minister Morrison, I am deeply grateful to you for your extraordinary hospitality. 

I am the first state guest invited to Australia since the COVID-19 outbreak, and our two countries have forged closer cooperative relations today. I believe that this will become an immense present for our two peoples as we mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between our countries. 

Australia and Korea have built solid cooperation in a wide range of areas, including the economy, national defense, science and technology.

Having grown together into pivotal Asia-Pacific nations and exemplary democratic middle powers, our countries have emerged as proud leading players in the international community with both having been invited to this year’s G7 Summit.

The international order is rapidly changing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, climate crisis and supply chain uncertainties. Sharing the values of democracy, human rights and the market economy, our two countries will jointly respond to new challenges by working together more closely.

Today, the Prime Minister and I upgraded our bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Our two countries will take off as global pacesetters together and move forward more vigorously toward a future of shared prosperity.

First, we agreed to strengthen strategic cooperation for regional stability, peace and prosperity.

We decided to expand security cooperation in national defense, the defense industry, cyberspace and other areas. Importantly, a contract concluded today for a project to supply our K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers will herald enhanced strategic cooperation in the defense industry between our two countries.

Prime Minister Morrison actively supported the Korean people’s efforts for the Korean Peninsula peace process, and our two countries agreed to continue to cooperate for denuclearization and permanent peace on the Peninsula as well as peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

We also had an in-depth discussion on how to overcome COVID-19 and concurred on joint efforts to promote health security in the region by responding to the Omicron variant and expanding vaccine supplies.

I extend my gratitude to the Australian Government for implementing a measure to allow fully vaccinated Koreans to enter the country without quarantine from the 15th of this month, and I look forward to it leading to active people-to-people exchanges and economic revitalization.

Second, we agreed to foster key future industries together.

Australia and Korea have declared the goal of 2050 carbon neutrality and are striving to push the transition to a low-carbon economy. Today, Prime Minister Morrison and I signed an MOU on a plan to implement our carbon neutral technology partnership. We will expand the horizon of bilateral cooperation into key eco-friendly technologies for the hydrogen economy, solar power and carbon-capturing equipment, and we will make carbon neutrality an opportunity to create new industries and jobs.

We also agreed to strengthen space cooperation. Australia established its Space Agency in 2018 and is spurring related industrial development. In addition to satellite technology, Korea also set a new milestone in space development with the launch of our Nuri space rocket this year. I hope that the space cooperation MOU will help enhance bilateral exchanges and cooperation in areas ranging from space exploration to the development of the launch vehicle industry and the satellite navigation system, providing a steppingstone for our two countries to advance into space together.

Third, we agreed to boost supply chain cooperation.

Australia, a globally recognized mineral-rich country, and Korea, a major producer of batteries and electric vehicles, play an important role in the global supply chain.

We shared an understanding that building a stable mineral supply chain is important not only for our two countries but also for the global economy and signed an MOU to cooperate on the supply chain of key minerals. Both countries will systematically work together throughout the entire resource development cycle from exploration, development and production of minerals to mine disaster management. We will further reinforce people-to-people exchanges and technology partnerships.

Today, our two countries set a new milestone in cooperation. Based on the solid friendship and trust that have been built over the past 60 years, we will gear up for a new era together. 

I express my special appreciation to the people of Australia who have provided a lot of help when Korea was undergoing great hardships in the past. I hope that bilateral cooperation will be a force to usher in a hopeful new year for the peoples of our two countries. 

Thank you.