Senator Michael G. Forshaw, Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade of the Australian Federal Parliament, will visit Korea from November 4 to November 9, 2009 by invitation of the Korea Foundation.

Senator Forshaw has been an active member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) since 1967 and has worked closely with the Australian Workers Union, as a barrister, for 18 years. From 1991 through 1993, he was General Secretary of the Union. Appointed as a Senator for NSW, Australia in 1994, he started his career as a politician and was re-elected in 1998 and 2004. From 1997, he has also served as Opposition Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Primary Industries, Fisheries and Forestry and Family and Community Services. Since 2008 when the ALP became the government party, he has been working as the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade. The committee is the largest and one of the most important committees in the Australian Federal Parliament and composed of 32 senior members of Parliament.

During his stay in Korea, Senator Forshaw will meet Ministers / Vice Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Trade, National Defense and Unification to discuss issues on nuclear proliferation, defense and security cooperation, an FTA between Australia and Korea, etc., as well as The Honorable Park Jin, Chair of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee of the Korean National Assembly, The Honorable Hong Joon Pyo, President of Korea-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Association and The Honorable Ahn Gyu Back, Executive Secretary of National Defense Committee of the National Assembly. He will also have a meeting with the Board Members of the Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights.

Furthermore, he will have opportunities to visit Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., DMZ and the Western Front Line during his visit this time.