Lee seeks new era of cooperation with Australia, Vietnam, Thailand

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, where the two leaders reaffirmed their diplomatic ties and discussed ways to deepen the relationship.

Lee warmly welcomed Albanese who is visiting the historic city for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, through which the Korean leader seeks to improve cooperation in many areas including energy, natural resources and defense amid rising uncertainty in the global economy.

“While Korea and Australia have enjoyed a long history of close relations, the increasingly complex international landscape presents even greater opportunities for the two nations to collaborate across a wide range of fields in the future,” Lee said.

Lee paid tribute to Australian troops who fell during the 1950-53 Korean War and are now honored at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan.

“The Korean people do not forget that Korea’s survival as a member of the free democratic world was possible, thanks to Australia’s special support,” he said.

Albanese responded by emphasizing the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and expressed his desire to further strengthen economic ties. He noted that Korean companies are making significant investments in Australia’s lithium, critical minerals and rare earth sectors.

The talks followed Albanese’s visit to POSCO’s steelmaking facilities in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, the first such visit by an Australian prime minister since 2003. There, the prime minister promised continued support for the investment of Korean firms operating in his country.

Both leaders underscored their shared democratic values, with Albanese pledging to stand with Korea amid intensifying security threats from Pyongyang.

The same day, Lee held bilateral talks with Vietnamese President Luong Cuong at the same venue, reaffirming Korea’s commitment to deepening its partnership with Vietnam.

Lee praised Vietnam as a “great country” for its historic resilience in overcoming Western powers’ attempts at armed occupation in the past as well as its impressive economic rise.

“Vietnam is now enjoying a nearly 7 percent annual growth rate, experiencing rapid and overwhelming development,” Lee said. He then expressed his desire for Korea to be part of Vietnam’s future growth.

“I hope that President Luong Cuong’s visit will mark the beginning of a new and elevated partnership between Korea and Vietnam ― encompassing cultural and civil exchanges, as well as cooperation in the economy, security and defense ― one that goes beyond anything we have achieved before,” Lee said.

Luong echoed his sentiments, commending Korea’s leadership and its role in the region.

“I’m confident that under Lee’s guidance, Korea will achieve even greater miracles,” he said.

Before the two meetings, Lee also met Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to discuss ways to boost bilateral cooperation. The two leaders reviewed progress from their phone conversation earlier this month and reiterated their shared commitment to strengthening bilateral relations across a broad spectrum of areas.