- Julie Bishop received the first letter sent by North Korea to a foreign minister
- The message was a warning to parliaments who want ‘international justice’
- North Korea wants countries to exercise sharp vigilance against ‘heinous’ Trump
A strongly worded open letter from North Korea has warned Australia it should abandon ties with the United States or it could face serious consequences.
The letter urged that Australia, among other parliaments, realise its desire for ‘international justice and peace’ and steer away from the ‘heinous and reckless’ moves of Donald Trump’s camp.
Written by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly and sent via North Korea’s embassy in Jakarta to Australia’s Indonesian embassy on September 28, it landed in the hands of Foreign Minister Julie Bishop a week later.
Julie Bishop (pictured) acquired a strongly worded open letter from North Korea has warned Australia it should abandon ties with the United States or it could face serious consequences
The letter (pictured) urged that Australia realise its desire for ‘international justice and peace’ and steer away from the ‘heinous and reckless’ moves of Donald Trump’s camp
Ms Bishop said it was the first letter to have ever been sent by North Korea to an Australian foreign minister, calling it a ‘very unusual’ move.
‘I read this as showing that the collective strategy of allies and partners to impose maximum pressure and diplomatic and economic sanctions on North Korea is working,’ she told Sydney Morning Herald.
The foreign minister believed the way the letter tried ‘to demonise the US’ and ‘divide the international community’ was a clear sign North Korea was feeling desperate and isolated.
Ms Bishop said it was the first letter to have ever been sent by North Korea to an Australian foreign minister, calling it a ‘very unusual’ move
North Korea could be trying to ‘pick off’ allies with the letter, according to Lowy Institute director of International Security Euan Graham.
‘This is effectively an invitation to have high level access, to send an [Australian] delegation from Seoul,’ Dr Graham said.
‘Now would be a good time for Australia to exercise its-still existing, even if on-off, diplomatic relations with the North.’
The letter rebutted explosive threats made by Donald Trump (pictured) at the UN in September where he warned the US could ‘totally destroy’ North Korea
North Korea could be trying to ‘pick off’ allies with the letter, according to Euan Graham. Supreme leader of North Korea Kim Jong-un pictured