Statement on North Korean missile launches

The Australian Government strongly condemns North Korea’s repeated ballistic missile launches, most recently on 31 October.

North Korea’s ballistic missile launches are in clear contravention of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. The persistence with which North Korea engages in this destabilising behaviour is of increasing concern.

Australia calls on North Korea to cease provocative actions that increase tensions on the Korean Peninsula and undermine regional peace and stability.

Australia once more calls on North Korea to comply with the clear views of the international community on its nuclear, other weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, as expressed through UN Security Council resolutions. 

We commend the commitment demonstrated by the United States and the Republic of Korea to continue talks with North Korea. Our support for diplomacy should not be seen by North Korea as silent approval of its ballistic missile launches.

Australia joins with many other nations in seeking permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, including the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea.

In the meantime, we remain committed to maintaining sanctions and sanctions enforcement measures against North Korea. The Australian Government calls on all countries to do likewise, including by fully implementing UN Security Council resolutions against North Korea.

The Australian Government supplements UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea with our own autonomous sanctions. We keep our autonomous sanctions regime under constant review.