Bishop unmoved by nuclear threat
Menacing North Korea rhetoric downplayed
JULIE Bishop has moved to reassure Australians the nation is not a primary target for North Korea despite its threats of “disaster” at the weekend.
The Foreign Affairs Minister responded to Pyongyang’s direct threats yesterday, saying Australia’s determination to find a peaceful solution was only strengthened by its provocative language.
Her remarks come as the international community braces for another missile test by the rogue nation this week.
“Australia is not a primary target and North Korea has made threats against Australia before,” Ms Bishop told reporters in Sydney.
“But North Korea’s threats only strengthen our resolve to find a peaceful solution to the rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula, caused entirely by North Korea’s illegal, threatening and provocative behaviour. Our focus is on deterring North Korea from continuing to carry out illegal ballistic missile and nuclear weapons’ tests and to compel it back to the negotiating table.”
North Korea threatened Australia directly on Saturday after Ms Bishop’s recent visit to South Korea and the truce village of Panmunjom in the 4km-wide demilitarised zone with Defence Minister Marise Payne.
The Korean Central News Agency criticised Australia in a statement for “showing dangerous moves of zealously joining the frenzied political and military provocations of the US against the DPRK”.
“The Australian foreign minister personally expressed her support for the stand of the US to consider all options including the use of force towards the DPRK, and turned up at Panmunjom on October 11 together with the Australian defence minister to condemn the DPRK during her visit to South Korea,” the newsagency said.
“Should Australia continue to follow the US in imposing military, economic and diplomatic pressure upon the DPRK despite our repeated warnings, they will not be able to avoid a disaster.”
North Korea is expected to launch another missile test this week as a protest against joint drills the US and South Korea will conduct over the fortnight in waters off South Korea.
As many as 40 navy vessels, including an aircraft carrier, an 18,000-metric tonne submarine, and attack helicopters, are expected to take part in the regular drills.
The drills prompted fresh threats from North Korea on Friday that the US should be “tamed with fire”.
Ms Bishop said a test could also be timed to coincide with the Chinese Communist Party’s 19th National Congress on Wednesday.
The North Korean regime has tested more than 20 missiles since February, including two missiles launched over the Japanese mainland.
Between 400,000 and two million people would die if tensions ratcheted up to the point North Korea unleashed its nuclear weapons on Tokyo and Seoul, according to an analysis on website 38 North.