Anthony Albanese joins calls for UN Security Council session following North Korea ballistic missile launch
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned a North Korean missile launch for “recklessly threating” the region’s security has he joined calls for an emergency session of the UN Security Council.
Japanese coast guard confirmed the intercontinental ballistic missile was launched shortly after 10:00am (local time) on Friday from Pyongyang, North Korea.
The missile was fired east and travelled 1,000 kilometres where it landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, according to the country’s coast guard.
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News of the launch quickly spread through Thailand where Mr Albanese and other APEC leaders including US Vice President Kamala Harris and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida were meeting.
Mr Albanese hit out at the Kim regime’s missile launch which he said threatened the entire Asia Pacific region.
“This is recklessly threatening our security, it’s destabilising our region, and in particular, it’s causing trauma for the people of Japan, and the people of the Republic of Korea,” Mr Albanese said in Bangkok on Friday.
“We clearly condemn this action, and we’ll consider what further action is required.
“It is one of multiple launches, it wasn’t just one missile this morning. And there has been increasingly an escalation of North Korea’s activity, and it needs to be called out. It needs to be condemned, and the globe needs to act on this.”
Mr Albanese confirmed reports the missile likely landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone as he welcomed and joined the US Vice President’s call for a meeting of the UN Security Council.
“This provocation violates multiple UN resolutions, and must stop. Australia supports the convening of an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council to deal with this issue,” he said.
Japan’s Defence Minister said the missile had a range of more than 15,000 kilometres, meaning it could theoretically hit the US mainland.
Vice President Harris immediately called an unplanned meeting of the leaders of South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Canada which made the joint declaration to demand a meeting of the UNSC.
Friday’s launch was the most recent in a series of provocations by North Korea with increased tests of the country’s missile capabilities taking place over the last year.
Pyongyang has fired more than 30 missiles already this year, while US officials have warned the country could be preparing for a nuclear weapon test.
