<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Dear Korean Studies community,<br class=""><br class=""><b class="">This</b> <b class="">Thursday</b><b class="">, 8 September, 5pm (AEST)</b> the University of Melbourne’s Korean Studies Seminar Series will host <b class="">Dr Chiew Ping Hoo</b> from the National University of Malaysia (UKM). <br class=""><br class="">Dr Hoo will talk about <b class="">Australia-Korea-ASEAN middle power collaboration</b>, illuminating how these three actors work together in the Indo-Pacific region to address various challenges. Abstract and bio, as well as a poster are below. <br class=""><br class="">Register for free at this link: <<a href="https://uomchiewpinghoo.eventbrite.com.au" class="">https://uomchiewpinghoo.eventbrite.com.au</a>>. Please feel free to share within your networks to anyone who would be interested.<br class=""><br class="">Best wishes,<br class=""><br class="">Theo Mendez<br class=""><br class="">On behalf of the organising committee<br class="">A/Prof. Jay Song<br class="">Mr Theo Mendez<br class="">Ms Jasmine Barrett<br class=""><br class=""><b class="">Summary</b><br class="">As the Indo Pacific region’s most prominent middle powers, Australia and South Korea’s alignment postures matter amidst the great power competitions between the U.S. and China, strategic surprises like the Russia-Ukraine War, Taiwan Straits crises, and the South China Sea disputes. Though Southeast Asian countries are smaller states, through ASEAN as a regional institution, together they assert middle power influence, demanding agency and autonomy in regional diplomacy and integration. This talk will illuminate how ASEAN, Australia, and South Korea work together as middle powers, the intertwining bilateral and multilateral nexus that suggest multi-layered partnerships have enhanced their middle power agency in the regional security architecture.<br class=""><br class=""><b class="">Presenter Bio</b><div class=""><span lang="EN-MY" class="">Dr. Chiew-Ping HOO is </span><span lang="EN-MY" class="" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: white;">Senior Lecturer in Strategic Studies and International Relations at the National University of Malaysia (UKM). </span><span lang="EN-MY" class="">Hoo is the editor of <i class="">The New Southern Policy: Catalyst for Deepening ASEAN-ROK Relations</i> (ISIS Malaysia, 2020), and a forthcoming co-editing book volume (with Shine Choi and Brian Bridges) on Southeast Asia-DPRK relations. </span><span lang="EN-MY" class="" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); background-color: white;">She has been working on East Asian International Relations over 14 years of teaching in UKM, regional policy consultations, and engaged in think-tank networks. Hoo received her PhD in Politics and International Relations from La Trobe University, Australia.</span><div class=""><div class=""><b class=""><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></b><b class="" style="color: rgb(5, 45, 111); font-size: 14px;">Theo Mendez</b></div><div class=""><font color="#052d6f" class="">PhD Candidate<br class=""></font><a href="https://arts.unimelb.edu.au/asia-institute" class="">Asia Institute</a><font color="#052d6f" class=""> | </font><a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au/climate#home" class="">Melbourne Climate Futures</a><font color="#052d6f" class=""><br class="">The University of Melbourne</font></div><div class=""><font color="#052d6f" class=""><b class="">E:</b> </font><a href="mailto:tmendez@student.unimelb.edu.au" class="">tmendez@student.unimelb.edu.au</a></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></div></body></html>