SEOUL, South Korea and Australia plan to hold their two-plus-two talks among the foreign and defense ministers in Canberra early next month, diplomatic sources said Tuesday. The two sides are fine-tuning the details for what will be the first high-level gathering in more than two years, sources familiar with the matter said. The last meeting took place in Seoul in September 2021. The sixth session was initially set to take place in October last year, but it was canceled as the outbreak of the clash between Israel and the Hamas militant group prompted countries to attend to the urgency of the situation, including evacuating their nationals from the region. If held, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Defense Minister Shin Won-sik will fly to Australia for talks with their respective counterparts: Penny Wong and Richard Marles. Australia is the only country that South Korea holds regular talks of the foreign and defense chiefs besides its ally, the United States. The two sides are expected to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, from the deepening cooperation in defense and the situation on the Korean Peninsula to regional and global issues. Australia has become South Korea's key partner in the defense industry. South Korea's defense equipment manufacturer Hanwha Group won a supply deal for its 129 Redback infantry fighting vehicles from the Australian arms procurement agency. They are also likely to reaffirm the commitment to strengthening cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, considered an important strategic area by both countries. Also drawing attention is whether the talks will touch on the possibility of South Korea participating in one of the two pillars of the AUKUS security partnership, comprising Australia, Britain and the U.S. AUKUS, launched in September 2021, is largely seen as a group of like-minded countries formed to counter China's assertiveness. Following a defense chiefs' meeting of AUKUS countries early this month, a U.S. official said that South Korea is one of a few cou ntries considered potential partners for cooperation in high-tech areas, quantum computing, artificial intelligence and hypersonics. Source: Yonhap News Agency