PM meets allies after N Korea missile test

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has taken part in a hastily arranged meeting with United States Vice-President Kamala Harris and the prime ministers of Japan, South Korea, Canada and Australia, after North Korea fired a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into Japanese waters.

The meeting was arranged by the United States on the sides of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum in Bangkok within hours of a missile being sent into Japan’s waters. Ardern was initially scheduled to have a one-on-one meeting with Harris.

‘‘We join with others in strongly condemning the actions of DPRK [North Korea],’’ Ardern said at the meeting. ‘‘I do want to particularly acknowledge the anxiety, the deep concern, the security threat, this escalation, this increasing use of missiles poses to Japan and South Korea.’’

Ardern said New Zealand would continue to uphold and monitor United Nations sanctions against North Korea.

Harris said she had called the meeting so ‘‘allies and partners can consult on next steps’’.

‘‘We strongly condemn these actions and we again call on North Korea to stop further unlawful, destabilising acts.

‘‘On behalf of the United States I know our ironclad commitment to our Indo-Pacific Alliance.’’

Ardern arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, late on Thursday for a meeting of leaders of the 21 economies that make up the Apec forum.

As Apec leaders assembled yesterday afternoon, Japanese officials confirmed North Korea had fired a suspected ICBM that landed 200 kilometres off Japan’s coast.

Such a missile could feasibly reach the United States.

North Korea tested a shorterrange missile the day prior.

Harris, Ardern, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, South Korea Prime Minister Han Duck Soo, Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Australia’s Anthony Albanese all gave statements condemning the missile testing at the opening of the meeting.

Kishida said the missile had landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone and with the ‘‘unprecedented high-frequency’’ of missile tests, it was possible further missiles would be launched.

‘‘I want to demonstrate that the strong will of all of us is to condemn these acts in the strongest possible terms,’’ he said, through a translator.

Trudeau said Canada would continue to participate in military operations in the region and would ‘‘stand strong’’ with its North Pacific allies.