John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to express outrage at North Korea’s deadly artillery attack yesterday on the South Korean island of Yon-pi-ong. As the representative of an electorate with a substantial and vibrant Korean community I urge all governments to condemn this unprovoked attack, which has reportedly killed two South Korean soldiers and wounded civilians, taking South Korea to its highest possible non-wartime alert.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has described this as ‘one of the gravest incidents since the end of the Korean War’ while South Korean President Lee has shown incredible patience and calm in the face of this military aggression. North Korea’s reckless behaviour will further destabilise one of the world’s most volatile regions, and comes after 46 South Korean sailors were killed in March. Recently US scientist Siegfried Hecker was ‘stunned’ by the sophistication of a North Korean uranium enrichment plant operating 2,000 centrifuges.

North Korea is estimated to be the world’s most militarised nation with more than one in three people serving. It has become increasingly clear that the North Korean dictatorship, which is currently going through a baton change, is most likely to heed advice from our friend and trading partner, the People’s Republic of China. Bennelong embraces a very large and active community of Chinese Australians and I was privileged to recently welcome the new Chinese Ambassador, Chen Yoo-Ming. It is imperative for our government to use all communication channels to request China to require restraint from North Korea.

In 2006 a North Korean missile test led China to impose limited sanctions, utilising the heavy dependence that the North Korean regime has on aid from China. The recent events seem to have taken the longstanding brinkmanship on the Korean Peninsula to a new level. We should encourage our good friends in China to engage in constructive dialogue with the North Korean regime, to repeat their opposition to North Korea’s nuclear program, and to lobby for the immediate recommencement of the six-party nuclear talks. This issue is one of the most important diplomatic priorities in our region. We are a great friend to the Republic of Korea and this year we celebrate our relationship through the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War. We must all work towards a goal of restraint on the Korean Peninsula so that the good people of the Republic of Korea can live in peace.