Australian warship is urgently deployed to waters off the coast of North Korea to support UN sanctions against the hermit state
- The order came as North Korea warned the US of ‘undesirable consequences’
- The US seized the DPRK vessel that was trafficking tons of North Korean coal
- The UN is concerned over North Korea launching of underwater ballistic missiles
An Australian warship that was training in Asia was ordered to urgently travel to North Korean waters in support of United Nations sanctions against the rogue state.
The order to Frigate HMAS Parramatta came as North Korea warned of ‘undesirable consequences’ after the US seized one of its sanction-breaking cargo ships.
A court on Wednesday ruled the US can keep North Korea’s largest cargo ship – the Wise Honest – which was intercepted trafficking thousands of tons of coal.
The order to Frigate HMAS Parramatta (pictured) came as North Korea warned of ‘undesirable consequences’ after the US seized one of its sanction-breaking cargo ships
It comes after the UN raised concerns over the dictator state launching underwater ballistic missiles.
The Australian warship was carrying out high-end warfare exercises around Japan last night before the re-tasking was ordered, the Daily Telegraph reported.
It will aid international efforts and guard illegal trade and suspicious shipping in North Korea’s waters.
Earlier this year HMAS Melbourne was ordered to ‘deter and disrupt’ against North Korea, and an Australia P8-A Poseidon spy plane was deployed.
‘HMAS Parramatta will work alongside our international partners to monitor and deter ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned goods,’ Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said on Wednesday.
‘This deployment reflects Australia’s ongoing commitment to maintain pressure on North Korea to take concrete, verifiable and irreversible steps towards denuclearisation.’
Japan and the US are also currently in the region.
HMAS Parramatta will now be stationed off the North Korean coast for at least the next two weeks.
A court on Wednesday ruled the US can keep the hermit state’s largest cargo ship – the Wise Honest – which was caught trafficking thousands of tons of North Korean coal