Australian prime minister slams N Korea for testing ICBM, says action 'illegal and dangerous'

Melbourne: Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull condemned North Korea’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch, describing the action as “illegal and dangerous” to global peace and stability. North Korea “successfully” test fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which is capable of hitting anywhere in the United States. The missile travelled about 1,000 kilometres before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan’s Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ). “This morning’s launch highlights the unacceptable threat North Korea posed to global peace and stability. Its actions are illegal and dangerous,” Turnbull said. He said that Australia was playing an active role in the international campaign to exert maximum economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea. “As part of international efforts, the Foreign Minister has today announced that another 11 individuals and nine entities will be listed under Australia’s autonomous sanctions for their association with North Korea’s illegal weapons programmes or flouting of UN Security Council resolutions,” he said. Turnbull said that the missile launch emphasises the urgency for all countries, especially the Permanent Five members of the UN Security Council to fully implement UNSC sanctions as soon as possible in order to maximise pressure on Pyongyang and compel it to return to negotiations. “We will continue to work closely with the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan, China and our partners to show this rogue regime that it is utterly isolated and its current path is unacceptable,” he added.