Six Australian journalists have been chosen to participate in the 2024 Australia-Korea Media Exchange program, traveling to the Republic of Korea (ROK) for a 10-day cultural immersion focusing on economics, trade, and security. The selected journalists include Alexander Blair from News.com.au, Bridget Carter from The Australian, Nadia Daly from ABC, Elouise Fowler from AFR, Tobias Loftus from ABC Regional, Michael Read from AFR, and James Gorman from the Walkley Foundation.

This exchange program, supported by the Australia-Korea Foundation (AKF), the Korea Press Foundation (KPF), and the Walkley Foundation, aims to highlight the strong bilateral relationship between Australia and the ROK. It provides journalists with the opportunity to engage with industry, economic, and security experts to enhance their reporting skills and build relationships with stakeholders.

In a similar initiative in 2023, journalists such as Clare Armstrong from The Daily Telegraph, Edward Boyd from Sky News Australia, Sarah Dingle from ABC RN, Tansy Harcourt from The Australian, Peter Ker from AFR, and Rachel Pupazzoni from ABC participated in the media exchange. The Walkley Foundation had previously secured a $120,000 grant from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to support these exchanges in 2022.

As part of this year’s program, a group of six South Korean journalists will visit Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth in April 2024. During their visit, they will meet with business and government representatives, cultural experts, and Australian media professionals, focusing on advancements in science and technology. This reciprocal exchange aims to foster mutual understanding and cooperation between media practitioners from both countries.

The Australia-Korea Media Exchange program plays a vital role in promoting cross-cultural dialogue and enhancing journalistic practices by facilitating firsthand experiences and interactions between Australian and South Korean media professionals. Through these exchanges, journalists gain valuable insights into each other’s countries, economies, and security landscapes, ultimately contributing to a more informed and interconnected global media community.