{"id":2205081,"date":"2024-05-13T18:19:13","date_gmt":"2024-05-13T09:19:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2205081"},"modified":"2024-05-14T14:49:00","modified_gmt":"2024-05-14T05:49:00","slug":"why-south-koreas-aukus-pillar-2-aspirations-may-be-a-distant-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/05\/why-south-koreas-aukus-pillar-2-aspirations-may-be-a-distant-dream\/","title":{"rendered":"Why South Korea\u2019s AUKUS Pillar 2 aspirations may be a distant dream"},"content":{"rendered":"
South Korea has <\/span>expressed interest<\/span><\/a> in participating in the AUKUS security pact\u2019s Pillar 2 projects, which focus on fostering collaboration on advanced military capabilities. But Seoul\u2019s chances of being invited to join, along with Japan, remain slim due to its significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities and a series of high-profile technology leaks in both the public and private sectors.<\/span><\/p>\n During the <\/span>Australia-ROK 2+2 joint meeting<\/span><\/a> on May 1, South Korean defense minister Shin Won-sik welcomed AUKUS members\u2019 consideration of the country as a potential Pillar 2 partner, while Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles acknowledged Seoul\u2019s impressive technology and shared values and suggested future opportunities for engagement.<\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>AUKUS Defense Ministers\u2019 Joint Statement<\/span><\/a>, released on April 9, outlined the pact\u2019s intention to engage with other countries on Pillar 2 projects and highlighted several factors that would be considered when identifying collaboration opportunities, including the ability to adequately protect sensitive data and information.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite the positive statements from South Korean and Australian officials during the ROK-Australia 2+2 joint meeting and press conference, the AUKUS members themselves have not explicitly endorsed Seoul\u2019s participation in AUKUS Pillar 2.<\/span><\/p>\n The joint statement only mentioned the consideration of cooperation with <\/span>Japan<\/span><\/a> on Pillar 2 projects, recognizing the country\u2019s strengths and close bilateral defense partnerships with all three AUKUS members.<\/span><\/p>\n The absence of explicit endorsement of South Korea\u2019s participation, as well as an embarrassing revelations about a recent data leak, raise questions about the likelihood of the country being invited to join Pillar 2.<\/span><\/p>\n