0
South Korean Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Jin Young-seung holds a video call with Admiral Mark Hammond, Australia's Chief of the Defence Force, on July 21. / Courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Jin Young-seung held a phone call with his Australian counterpart on July 21 to discuss regional security issues in the Indo-Pacific and measures to expand bilateral military cooperation.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Gen. Jin held a coordination call with Adm. Mark Hammond, who recently assumed office as Chief of the Defence Force of Australia. The conversation marked their first official communication since Adm. Hammond took office, aimed at reaffirming strong trust between the military leadership of both nations and reinforcing foundations for strategic cooperation.

Gen. Jin expressed gratitude to Australia for its continued contributions to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific as a Korean War veteran nation and a key security partner of South Korea. He also extended his congratulations on Adm. Hammond's appointment, wishing him a successful tenure.

Expressing his appreciation for the congratulations, Adm. Hammond voiced expectations that the inaugural call would serve to solidify bilateral trust and foster future-oriented military exchanges and cooperation.

Both sides shared assessments of the regional security environment, including North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, and agreed to further expand practical military cooperation—such as joint exercises and personnel exchanges—to respond effectively to the evolving security landscape.

The JCS stated, "Both leaders particularly commended efforts to enhance interoperability and combined operational capabilities through joint exercises such as Talisman Sabre and Pitch Black," adding that "they agreed to maintain even closer strategic communication and coordination to advance peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, in the Indo-Pacific, and across the international community."

                                                                                                             Lee Han-sol