Washington: Prominent U.S. scholars are advocating for the expansion of the Group of Seven (G7) major industrialized countries to include South Korea and Australia. They emphasize the necessity of reform to enhance the group’s capacity for global governance.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Victor Cha, president of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); CSIS President and CEO John Hamre; and John Ikenberry, professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, have made this call in an article published in Foreign Affairs. The article, titled “How Global Governance Can Survive: With the Right Reforms, the G-7 Can Sustain the Rules-Based Order,” coincides with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s planned attendance at the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta, Canada.
The scholars argue for G7 reform, highlighting the need for the group to bolster membership, streamline procedures, and enhance legitimacy globally. They believe
that this would enable the G7 to sustain the rules-based international order. They advocate for Australia and South Korea to be prioritized for inclusion, citing their roles as responsible international economic stewards.
The article points out that South Korea, as a technological and cultural leader, boasts the largest economy among non-G7 industrialized democracies aside from India and Brazil. Australia, on the other hand, has a high per capita GDP, surpassing all G7 nations except the United States. Both countries have demonstrated leadership in global issues relevant to the G7.
Australia has been noted for its stance against economic coercion by China and its role as a significant supplier of critical minerals. South Korea has contributed economic and indirect military support to Ukraine and is a pivotal player in semiconductor technology alongside the United States and Japan, crucial in the technological competition with China.
The scholars highlight the Indo-Pacific as a vital region for global comme
rce and politics, suggesting that including South Korea and Australia could amplify the region’s representation within the G7, beyond what Japan alone can offer. The current G7 members are the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Britain.