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President Lee Jae-myung and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hold a bilateral summit in the Ban Ki-moon Hall at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations in New York on the 22nd (local time). / Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung, visiting New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the 22nd (local time) to discuss cooperation on energy and critical minerals.   

This meeting between President Lee and Prime Minister Albanese marks their third encounter, following summits at last year's Group of Seven (G7) Summit and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.   

During the talks, the two leaders confirmed that both nations are key partners relying on each other for supplies of major energy resources, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) and petroleum products, as they navigate the energy crisis originating from the Middle East. They agreed to work closely together to establish stable and resilient regional supply chains, Senior Blue House Secretary for Public Communication and Relations Sung Ki-hong said in a written briefing. 

President Lee said, "Australia must also be facing various difficulties due to this Hormuz war, and South Korea experienced some disruptions due to the energy supply chain as well, but thanks to Australia's generous assistance and our joint cooperation, South Korea's energy market has remained reasonably stable."   

He added, "We appreciate Australia's help, and we will extend our utmost cooperation to resolve issues and the situation Australia faces."   President Lee also inquired about Australia's recent policies regarding artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, renewable energy utilization, and energy price trends, proposing that the two nations "explore avenues for cooperation."   

Prime Minister Albanese responded, "Australia and South Korea are great allies. We share similar worldviews, and our values align in terms of multilateral institutions and our pursuit of security and safety."   

He added, "In particular, we collaborate extensively in the economic sphere, and Australia receives substantial assistance from South Korea, especially in energy supply and demand."   

Prime Minister Albanese also stressed, "South Korea is a reliable partner for Australia in fields such as critical minerals and clean energy. There is immense potential to further develop our bilateral cooperation by combining South Korea's manufacturing prowess with Australia's abundant resources."   

He continued, "I look forward to meeting with you more frequently on the sidelines of the upcoming APEC Summit and G20 Summit, and I invite you to visit Australia whenever your schedule permits early next year."   

                                                                                                             Hong Sun-mi