South Korea and Australia Schedule Bilateral Talks in Seoul on Defense and Supply Chains

South Korea's foreign ministry announced on April 27, 2026, that Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will hold bilateral talks in Seoul on April 30, 2026. The ministry issued a press release detailing the upcoming meeting, which follows recent interactions between the two diplomats.

This event marks a continuation of diplomatic engagements amid ongoing global challenges.

The talks will cover efforts to enhance defense cooperation between the two nations. They will also address joint responses to supply chain instability related to the ongoing Middle East crisis. South Korea's foreign ministry stated that the two foreign ministers are expected to reaffirm commitments to addressing common challenges from the Middle East situation.

In addition, the discussions will focus on deepening cooperation in the defense sector. The agenda includes deepening cooperation in the defense industry sector as well. The ministry further noted that the ministers are expected to reaffirm commitments to addressing common challenges from the global energy crisis.

This bilateral meeting comes after Cho Hyun and Wong held a phone conversation on March 16, 2026. That call occurred about a month before the planned in-person talks. Previously, the two foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, on October 30, 2025.

South Korea's foreign ministry highlighted the talks as an opportunity to build on these prior interactions. The press release emphasized the shared issues, including defense and supply chain concerns. The ministry provided a file photo of the October 2025 meeting, showing Cho Hyun and Wong posing together during the APEC summit.