Strategic objectives of the U.S.-UK-Australia partnership and South Korea's considerations ​

Park Jae Jeok 

(jjpark@hufs.ac.kr) 

Professor,  

Hankuk  University  of  Foreign  Studies

Abstract​

The U.S. signed AUKUS to strengthen maritime control in the Indo-Pacific area, dispel doubts about the Biden administration's involvement in the Indo-Pacific area, and send a message that the U.S. will protect its allies that have been oppressed by China. As AUKUS pursues joint development of state-of-the-art technology and information sharing, it can naturally cooperate with the QUAD (plus), which directly and indirectly discusses issues related to the U.S.-China technology hegemonic competition. Some argue that the U.S. may allow South Korea to possess nuclear submarines like Australia, but it is unlikely as Korea will not be the only country that wants to possess nuclear submarines.