Policy briefs · Oct 19, 2026
South Korea and Australia Sign Comprehensive Strategic Partnership With Joint Submarine Maintenance and Missile Technology Sharing
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in Canberra on 15 September 2026 that includes a joint submarine maintenance facility at HMAS Stirling near Perth, a ballistic missile guidance technology exchange programme, and an Australian commitment to purchase up to 100 Korean-manufactured K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers and 30 AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicles.
Contents
Key takeaways
- Joint submarine maintenance facility at HMAS Stirling covering both Collins-class and future SSN-AUKUS boats.
- Ballistic missile guidance technology exchange covering Korean Hyunmoo and Australian guided missile systems.
- Australia purchases up to 100 K9 howitzers and 30 AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicles.
- Agreement includes mutual recognition of defence security clearances.
- Annual 2+2 ministerial format established, aligning with the Australia-Japan and Australia-US models.
Defence Industrial Terms
The submarine maintenance facility agreement designates HMAS Stirling as a forward logistics hub where Hanwha Ocean engineering teams will provide maintenance, overhaul and upgrade services for Australian Collins-class submarines beginning in 2028. The facility is designed with infrastructure that can accommodate the larger Virginia-class and SSN-AUKUS boats expected from the early 2030s, giving Hanwha a long-term commercial anchor in the Australian market.
The missile technology exchange is structured as a classified annex and covers guidance, terminal homing and re-entry vehicle technologies that are subject to Missile Technology Control Regime review. Both governments have indicated they received MTCR partner state notifications clearances prior to the agreement's signing.
Procurement
Australia's commitment to purchase K9 howitzers and AS21 Redback vehicles follows a competitive evaluation that initially favoured European systems. The decision to proceed with Korean platforms reflects both cost competitiveness — the K9 package was approximately 25 percent cheaper than the nearest competitor — and a deliberate policy of broadening Australia's defence supplier base beyond US and European partners to strengthen Quad-adjacent industrial ties.
Regional Context
China's Foreign Ministry described the partnership as 'a provocative expansion of Cold War alliance structures' and warned of consequences for South Korean and Australian economic relations with Beijing. Japan's Kōichi Hagiuda, attending the signing as a guest, expressed support for the partnership and indicated Japan would seek to join selected elements of the joint maintenance framework.
Sources
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