N Korea Threatens Aust if it Continues to Back US Stance on Pyongyang
North Korea has criticised Australia for supporting America’s tough stance on Pyongyang and says if it continues to do so, a disaster will happen.
In a statement on the staterun news agency, North Korea accused Australia of “dangerous moves” by joining what it calls the frenzied political and military provocations of the US.
It said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop had personally expressed her support for the US’ stance to consider all options including the use of force towards Pyongyang.
“Lately, Australia is showing dangerous moves of zealously joining the frenzied political and military provocations of the US against the DPRK,” the statement says. “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 [Ms Bishop] turned up at Panmunjom on October 11 together with the Australian Defence Minister to condemn the DPRK during her visit to South Korea,” referring to Ms Bishop’s visit to the border between the two Koreas.
In its warning, the North Korean Foreign Ministry statement said Australia would not be able to avoid disaster if it continued to align itself with the US and South Korea.
Ms Bishop last week said she had real concerns North Korea might launch another missile test to coincide with a meeting of China’s Communist Party Congress. North Korea has launched dozens of missiles this year, several flying over Japan. On September 3, North Korea successfully tested a hydrogen bomb designed to be mounted on its newly developed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), according to state television.
It was the sixth nuclear test by Pyongyang since 2006, and South Korea estimated it was five to six times stronger than North Korea’s fifth test a year ago. US President Donald Trump has said “only one thing will work” in dealing with nuclear-armed North Korea, arguing previous administrators had talked to Pyongyang without results.