Will S. Korea join AUKUS Pillar 2 in face of deepening Russia-NK ties?

U.S. President Joe Biden, center, meets with Britain's then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, right, and Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese at Point Loma naval base in San Diego, U.S., March 13, as part of AUKUS, a trilateral security pact between Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. AP-Yonhap

There is an ongoing discussion as to whether South Korea will join the AUKUS Pillar 2 in the face of deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.

The AUKUS — an acronym for Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. — is a trilateral security partnership formed among the three countries in 2021 to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Pillar 2 of the AUKUS aims to share advanced military technology in areas such as hypersonic missiles, artificial intelligence and cyber technology, whereas Pillar 1 involves delivering nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.

In May, Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said the possibility of joining the AUKUS Pillar 2 was discussed during a “2 Plus 2” meeting among foreign and defense ministers in Melbourne, Australia.

“We do welcome that AUKUS members are considering South Korea as an AUKUS Pillar 2 partner. Korea’s defense science and technology capabilities will contribute to the peace and stability of the development of the AUKUS Pillar 2 and regional peace,” Shin said during a press conference following the meeting.

Last month’s summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un strengthened military alliance between the two countries, putting South Korea’s security at risk. The two signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, which involves providing mutual defense assistance in case either side faces an armed attack.

The government is now facing growing calls to engage in discussions with AUKUS members to weigh up the economic and security benefits 추천 and costs about whether joining Pillar 2 is in the national interest. The presidential office said it is in the early stages of discussion and it would require a considerable amount of time for review.

Although nothing has been decided yet, experts see Seoul’s participation as an opportunity to boost deterrence against North Korea and other security threats.

“South Korea has much to gain from joining AUKUS Pillar 2, especially around this time when North Korea and Russia are strengthening military ties,” Ban Kil-joo, a research professor at Korea University, said. “The AUKUS Pillar 2 isn’t just a security partnership. It’s more like a new Cold War-era military alliance. Thus, it will contribute to peace and stability in the region.”

Doo Jin-ho, a research fellow at the Center for Security and Strategy in the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, said joining AUKUS Pillar 2 would mean falling under U.S.-led “lattice-like architecture.” This strategic framework refers to several small cooperation groups, including South Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral cooperation, the AUKUS and the Quad.

“If South Korea joins the AUKUS Pillar 2, it will be able to deter, defend and respond to threats from North Korea, among other regional threats. The U.S., U.K. and Australia will provide security assurance and South Korea will be able to learn about emerging military technologies,” Doo said.

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