Energy Security in the Indo-Pacific: Key Insights from the Recent Ministerial Meeting

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Kim Jeong-gwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy[Provided by Yonhap News Agency][Provided by Yonhap News Agency]

Amid rising uncertainty in energy supply chains triggered by the crisis in the Middle East, the South Korean government and 16 other Indo‑Pacific partners—including the United States, Japan and Australia—issued a joint statement committing to deepen cooperation on energy security.

Kim Jeong‑gwan attended the Indo‑Pacific Energy Security Ministerial and Business Forum in Tokyo on the 14th and 15th.

The meeting was the first jointly hosted by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the U.S. National Energy Council (NEDC).

Senior officials from 17 Indo‑Pacific governments—including Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam—joined business leaders from the energy, infrastructure, industry and finance sectors.

Kim outlined Seoul’s recent response to developments in the Middle East and identified three principal challenges: unstable transport routes for crude oil and critical minerals; supply chains exposed to volatile energy prices; and an unpredictable global realignment of supply chains driven by AI and the expansion of advanced manufacturing.

He urged diversification of energy sources to reduce supply-side unpredictability and called for stronger, practical crisis-response mechanisms—such as coordinated releases from international stockpiles like those organized through the IEA—when oil markets destabilize.

After two days of discussions, ministers agreed on the need to expand cooperation on energy security and issued the Indo‑Pacific Energy Security Ministers’ Joint Statement, pledging to stabilize regional energy supplies.

During the conference, the governments of Korea and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding on critical minerals cooperation, and Hanwha Aerospace signed an LNG import contract with the U.S. firm Venture Global.

Kim said that securing critical minerals is essential for advanced-technology industries and for industrial and resource security, and he reaffirmed the two countries’ commitment to building resilient supply chains. He added that the recent situation in the Middle East has heightened uncertainty over energy supplies and expressed hope that bilateral cooperation on natural gas will continue to mitigate risks to global supply chains.

Kim also met with energy ministers from the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam to share each country’s current oil-supply situation and efforts to secure alternative volumes, and they agreed to cooperate closely to establish stable energy and resource supply chains.

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Bae Jin‑sol (sincere@yna.co.kr)