Anthony Albanese has called for an emergency session of the UN security council to condemn North Korea’s provocative launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile that landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone on Friday.
Australia’s prime minister joined the vice-president of the United States, Kamala Harris, the prime minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, South Korea’s prime minister, Han Duck-soo, and the prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, in a huddle on the sidelines of the Apec summit in Bangkok on Friday.
Harris described North Korea’s conduct as a “brazen violation” of multiple UN resolutions. She told reporters the ballistic missile launch unnecessarily raises tensions and destabilises the region.
The prime minister of South Korea said it was important for the international community to make a very clear statement that “brazen” behaviour would not be tolerated. “The international community must unite and respond in a resolute manner.”
“By doing so, we need to make the regime realise that each round of provocation will only further undermine its own security, deepen its isolation and exacerbate the dire economic plight of [North Korea’s] people.”
After the meeting, Albanese echoed the vice-president’s line about the breach of UN resolutions, and declared the provocations “must stop”.
Australia’s prime minister said the group had resolved to make the joint call for an emergency session of the UN security council to deal with this issue, and that course of action had the strong support of Japan and South Korea.
“We clearly condemn this action, and we’ll consider what further action is required,” Albanese said. North Korea’s conduct was causing “trauma for the people of Japan”, he said.
“One of the things that we talked about in the meeting was the nature of these missiles,” the prime minister said, noting long range missiles “threatened the security of the entire region”.
“That’s why this needs to be condemned by the global community. This is about the globe coming together to condemn the actions of North Korea – to stand up for peace and security in our region and around the world”.
Friday’s launch came a day after North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile while warning of “fiercer military responses” to US efforts to boost its security presence in the region with its allies, saying Washington was taking a “gamble it will regret”.
North Korea’s rogue actions have been raised by regional leaders at the Asean, East Asia, G20 and Apec summits.
