In short:
Penny Wong says the recent defence deal struck between North Korea and Russia is “destabilising” and “risky for the world”.
Australia’s foreign minister made the comments after visiting the village of Panmunjom that is shared by North and South Korea.
The defence deal has been widely criticised by Western allies.
Foreign minister Penny Wong says the recent defence deal between North Korea and Russia is “destabilising” and “risky for the world”.
Senator Wong made the comments after she visited the southern side of the tense border village of Panmunjom shared by North and South Korea on Tuesday.
In June, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a pact stipulating mutual military assistance if either country is attacked, deepening worries about the expanding ties between the countries.
The US and its partners have steadfastly accused North Korea of supplying much-needed conventional arms to Russia for its war in Ukraine in return for military and economic assistance.
“I also want to say something about the security pact between North Korea and Russia. And say again, this is destabilising,” Minister Wong said.
“This is risky for the world and again we say Russia is behaving in ways which are not conducive to peace but are escalatory.”
She also condemned North Korea’s extended run of missile tests that she said threaten regional security.
“We share great concerns about DPRK’s escalatory reactions, destabilising actions,” she said, referring to North Korea by the acronym of its official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
She met South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul in Seoul and agreed to work together with the international community to cope with the North Korean-Russian military partnerships, according to South Korea’s Foreign Ministry.
Yoon’s office said in a statement that she also met South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and exchanged opinions on how to improve bilateral relations.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been running high in recent months, with North Korea flying trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea and continuing weapons tests.
South Korea has responded by resuming anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts and live-fire drills at border areas.
AP/ABC
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