North Korea has issued a warning to Australia about so-called “military interference” after a Chinese jet dropped flares in front of a navy helicopter off the Korean peninsula.
9News first reported the incident last week between the Chinese J10 Air Force jet and an Australian Navy Seahawk operating off HMAS Hobart, which was carrying out a United Nations mission to prevent North Korea from smuggling sanctioned goods.
Yesterday, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry issued a warning to the US and its allies – including Australia – accusing them of destabilising the region.
“The US allies have recently made their military interference in the Asia-Pacific region undisguised under the pretext of monitoring violation of UN sanctions,” the ministry’s statement said, adding “(it is) further worsening instability of the regional situation".
“In particular, an Australian warship, dispatched to the waters around the Korean peninsula, let a military helicopter go into action and threaten the maritime and air security of a surrounding country, thus creating possibility of a dangerous armed conflict.
“Such military intervention, conducted by the above-said countries under the pretext of implementing the so-called UN Security Council ‘resolution’ and abiding by international laws, is contrary to the purpose and principle of the UN Charter… and poses a visible threat to peace and security in the Korean peninsula and the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.”
The statement finished by labelling Australia and other allies’ actions as “blind”.
“The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will take necessary measures to firmly defend the sovereignty and security of the state on the basis of a rigorous analysis of the negative influence being caused by the grave acts of some countries including Canada, Australia, UK, Germany and France taking part in the so-called ‘activities of monitoring sanctions against the DPRK’,” it said.
“Western countries should ponder over the fact that their unreasonable and blind policy of following the US is an act of harming their own interests.”
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the Chinese jet dropping flares “completely unacceptable” while his deputy and Defence Minister Richard Marles told 9News it was “unsafe and unprofessional”.
The government formally expressed its concerns about the run-in to Beijing, but China has pointed the finger back at Australia.
"Under the guise of implementing United Nations Security Council resolutions, Australian warships and aircraft deliberately approached China's airspace to cause trouble and provocation, endangering China's maritime and air security," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular briefing last week.
"As a warning, the Chinese military took necessary measures at the scene. Relevant operations are legal, compliant, professional and safe."
