Australia in South Korea's foreign policy circles

In Seoul, it makes more sense to learn about Australian policy in Washington rather than Canberra

Spending time in Seoul’s epistemic community—among journalists, academics, and policymakers—I’m often struck by how rarely Australia is seen as an independent actor in international affairs. When discussing regional security, trade policy, or strategic alliances, Australia is routinely framed as an extension of the United States - often an annoying and arrogant extension.

In conversations about AUKUS, China, or Indo-Pacific dynamics, there’s little expectation that Canberra will take a position distinct from Washington.

This perception isn’t just a passing remark. Over the past twenty-five years, the view that Canberra’s policy begins in Washington has grown steadily. Today, it is a firmly embedded assumption.

While South Korea navigates its own complex balancing act between the U.S., and China, and its own regional interests, Australia has plodded along with not an iota of strategic autonomy. Think Afghani…