KRC Symposium 2025

The KRC held its 2025 Symposium on 15 August 2025 in the Perth CBD. The symposium brought together a diverse panel of experts to explore current geoeconomic trends—particularly tariffs and energy supply chains and their implications for Australia–ROK relations. Discussions focused on the evolving security landscape, including the reassessment of international partnerships and the rise of minilateral platforms amid shifting geopolitical alliances.

The event featured short presentations and a roundtable Q&A session, broadly grouped under two themes:

• • Geoeconomic Dynamics and Supply Chains

  • Australia–Korea Complementary Strengths and Opportunities for Security and Defence Collaboration

The event opened with remarks from Associate Professor Jo Elfving-Hwang, Director of the Korea Research and Engagement Centre; Professor Farida Fozdar, Dean of Global Futures in the Faculty of Humanities; and Ms. Fay Duda, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Korea. The Parliamentary Friends of Korea in the House of Parliament of Western Australia was represented by the Hon Tjorn Sibma MLC.

Speakers included:

• Dr Yoon Jung Choi (The Sejong Institute, Seoul)

• Dr Naoise McDonagh (Edith Cowan University)

• Captain Alastair Cooper (Director, Sea Power Centre, Canberra)

• Dr Jay Song (Adjunct Associate Professor, Curtin University)

• Dr Alica Kizekova (MCASI, Faculty of Humanities, Curtin University)

• Assoc Prof Alexey Muraviev (MCASI, Faculty of Humanities, Curtin University)

The sold-out event hosted in 137 St George’s Terrace brought together different stakeholders, including industry partners from POSCO Australia, and discussants from the WA Defence Review. The event was a particularly notable for its vibrant student participation  in discussions during the symposium and networking sessions.