By Liu Cheng

刘  澄

ROK and Australia have kept strengthening their defense ties recently, with close high-level interactions, upgraded military cooperation, and frequent joint exercises. Foreign media reported that the two countries' intensification of defense cooperation is aimed at achieving the strategic goal of pushing their defense relationship to a new level set at the 2+2 foreign and defense ministers' meeting this May. It also reflects their intention of expanding their influence as NATO allies.

近期，韩国与澳大利亚防务关系不断升温：高层互动热络、军工合作升级、联合演习频密。外媒称，韩澳强化防务合作，旨在落实今年5月两国外长防长会议确定的防务关系迈向新阶段战略目标，也是两国在北约盟伴框架下抱团扩张影响力的缩影。

ROK and Australia have had frequent military interactions recently as they are working to push their defense ties to a new level.

为推动两国防务关系迈向新阶段，近期，韩澳双方军事互动频繁。

At the end of June, Australia dispatched an E-7A early warning aircraft and several F-35A fighters to visit ROK's Osan Air Base Airport via Guam and had exchanges with ROK air force pilots. At the same time, the HMAS Melbourne and other vessels of the Australian navy sailed through the South Pacific and berthed at the Port of Busan for a joint patrol with their ROK counterparts, before heading for Hawaii for the RIMPAC. ROK media reported that it was the first time that Australian vessels and aircraft below the regiment (equivalent) level were sent to engage in defense exchanges with the ROK, indicating their military cooperation has expanded to the tactical level.

6月底，澳大利亚1架E-7A预警机与多架F-35A战斗机，经停关岛访问韩国乌山机场，并与韩国空军飞行员展开业务交流；“墨尔本”号两栖攻击舰等舰艇，绕经南太平洋靠泊釜山港，与韩国舰艇举行联合巡航，随后前往夏威夷海域参加环太军演。韩媒称，这是澳大利亚舰机首次安排团级（相当于）以下建制单位与韩国开展防务外交，表明两国军事合作已延伸至战术层面。

In early July, ROK held a defense industry and technology forum in Australia, the first of its kind by the country, at which the two sides had a vice-defense-minister-level meeting. During the forum, ROK military enterprises presented their KF-21 fighter and other weapons to the Australian military. Military enterprises from both sides discussed the details of building a joint production line, and ROK presented the operation of the assembly line for its new-generation Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV). According to foreign media, ROK moving its important annual forum to Australia is to highlight their special relations.

7月上旬，韩国在澳大利亚举办国防工业技术论坛。这是韩国首次在海外举办此类防务外交活动，双方进行了副防长级交流。论坛上，韩国军工企业向澳军方推介KF-21战斗机等武器。澳大利亚与韩国军工企业就建设联合生产线进行细节磋商，并对外公开韩制新一代“红背蜘蛛”步兵战车装配线运行情况。外媒称，韩国将重要年度性论坛迁至澳大利亚举行，意在彰显双方的特殊关系。

Echoing with the forum, multiple types of military aircraft of the ROK Air Force, including F-15K, KC-330 and C-130, arrived at Australia's RAAF Base Darwin for Exercise Pitch Black, the second time for ROK Air Force. It is reported that as the South Pacific airspace is far away from the Korean Peninsula in terms of security, Seoul's dispatch of such a large fleet to Australia was intended to form a regular interaction mechanism. The two countries also planned to carry out a joint regional patrol during the return of their forces from the RIMPAC.

与论坛相呼应的是，韩国空军F-15K、KC-330、C-130等多型军机飞抵澳大利亚达尔文基地，参加代号为“漆黑”的军事演习。这是韩国空军第二次参加该系列演习。报道称，从安全角度讲，南太平洋空域远离朝鲜半岛，韩派遣大规模机群到访，旨在与澳大利亚形成互动机制。两国还计划在环太军演结束后，组织回撤兵力开展区域巡航。

The ROK and Australian navies and air forces also consulted on the mutual opening of their ports and airports, with the possibility of building material and technical support stations at ROK's Busan Base and Australia's Darwin Base. Canberra also planned to "take a stake in" ROK's maintenance center for F-35A and RQ-4 planes. Analysts said they are building temporary vessel and aircraft stations overseas in order to further intensify their interactions and exchanges.

此外，双方海空军还就港口和机场开放问题展开磋商，可能在韩国釜山基地和澳大利亚达尔文基地互建物资技术保障站；澳大利亚还计划“入股”韩国F-35A和RQ-4型机维保中心。分析称，韩澳打造海外舰机临时驻扎点，为进一步互动交流奠定基础。

Apart from pursuing common interests, each of the ROK and Australia has its own ax to grind.

韩澳互动频繁，除共同利益外，双方也各有算盘。

ROK holding its defense industry and technology forum in Australia was a move to create the impression that its military industry is flourishing and promote the overseas arms sales of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration to offset the political pressure at home. ROK and Australia have already signed an IFV contract worth around US$2.4 billion. ROK's KF-21 fighter and new-generation conventional submarine technology are on the purchase list of the Australian military too.

韩国远赴澳大利亚举行国防工业技术论坛，旨在营造军工产业繁荣景象，显示尹锡悦政府海外军售业绩，对冲当前国内施政压力。年内，韩国已与澳大利亚签订总额约24亿美元的步兵战车出口合同。KF-21战斗机和新一代常规潜艇技术，也入选澳军采购清单。

Located in the South Pacific, Australia strengthening its ties with the ROK can help extend its military antenna further out and may continue to expand its military presence in the West Pacific in the name of exercise, training, and exchange as the bilateral defense cooperation deepens. Besides, as the Australian military industry is limited in its capacity and countries like the US are seeing their arsenal emptying up due to the war in East Europe, ROK, with its well-developed military industry, becomes an important source of weapons.

作为“深居”南太平洋的国家，澳大利亚加强与韩国勾连，有助于其军事触角延伸。随着两国防务合作不断深化，澳可能以演训、交流等名义，扩大在西太平洋地区的军事存在。此外，澳国内军工产能较低，美国等国受东欧战事影响，军火库处于亏空状态，产业体系完备的韩国将成为其重要武器源。

The closer ties between the ROK and Australia mirror the constantly expanding presence of NATO allies. After the NATO summit in Washington, ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had a phone call agreeing to participate in NATO's relevant activities. Their military presence in the Asia-Pacific under the NATO alliance framework is worth continuous attention.

韩澳两国走近，也是北约盟伴版图持续扩张的缩影。北约华盛顿峰会后，尹锡悦与澳总理阿尔巴尼斯通话，双方表示将共同参与北约相关行动。韩澳两国在北约盟伴框架下共同打造亚太地区所谓“南北犄角”，值得持续关注。