Trent Zimmerman (North Sydney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Will the minister advise the House how the government is responding to the escalating tension on the Korean peninsula and its potential effect on Australia and the region?

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for North Sydney for asking a very important question that is of deep concern to the Australian people. The escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula are the direct result of the illegal actions of the North Korean regime in threatening its neighbours with ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons. North Korea's behaviour has been roundly condemned by the international community, and Australia joins with the UN Security Council and other nations in urging North Korea to change course.

In particular, I advise the House that, this morning, I joined with the foreign ministers of MIKTA—Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey and Australia—in censuring North Korea for its actions. Australia's defence minister, Senator Marise Payne, is on her way to Seoul. She will meet with Korea's defence minister. She will also meet with General Brooks, the commander of UN Command, US Forces Korea and Combined Forces Command. She will also deliver an address to the Seoul Defence Dialogue, where she will reaffirm Australia's commitment to working with our partners and allies and nations around the world in exerting maximum diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea to compel it to change its behaviour and deter it from further tests.

North Korea's destabilising and dangerous behaviour comes at a time of unprecedented levels of engagement by Australia in North Asia. In fact, at any one time, over 200,000 Australians are either living in or visiting South Korea, Japan and China. The Turnbull government is committed to ensuring that all Australians are reliably informed of the current situation on the Korean peninsula, and we are ensuring that our official travel advice is updated regularly. In fact, this morning, the official travel advice on our Smartraveller website for Japan and for the Republic of Korea was updated. Specifically, in relation to Korea, it noted:

Further provocations by the DPRK or reactions by other countries cannot be ruled out.

And:

… tensions on the Korean Peninsula could escalate with little warning.

Our official advice for the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, DPRK, is that Australians should reconsider their need to travel to the DPRK. I would urge Australians not to travel to North Korea. We have no consular presence there. We have little capacity to assist should any Australians get into trouble.

I can inform the House that our embassies in Seoul and Tokyo have comprehensive contingency plans in place should there be any crisis or conflict situation or should any consular scenario eventuate. I can confirm that we have plans in place with our partners and allies should any contingency arise. I urge all Australians to register on the Smartraveller website and, if you do register, electronic alerts are available. In the meantime, the Australian government will work with nations around the world to explore every avenue to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis on the Korean peninsula.