David Jull (Fadden, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. What are the latest developments in the international response to North Korea’s nuclear test?

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Fadden; the House recognises his expertise in the area of foreign affairs, and I appreciate his interest.

Let me begin by saying that there have been rumours this morning of a second test conducted by the North Koreans. We have no confirmation of that. Indeed, there seems to be some confusion between the possible seismic activity from a test and seismic activity from an earthquake that took place off the coast of Japan, but this is still being investigated. Having said that, we remain very concerned about the possibility of a second test and a second test happening in the near future. Of course, if that were to happen then that would only double the resolve of the Security Council to proceed with the sanctions regime that they are looking at.

On the Security Council, we are pleased that the Security Council has condemned the announcement that the test of a weapon had taken place on Monday. I might say that I have been particularly encouraged by China’s response, which has been strong. They have said that North Korea must face some punitive action for its nuclear test. The United States and Japan have proposed to the Security Council a draft resolution under chapter 7—and we think there should be a chapter 7 resolution—and that would include a series of sanctions in relation in particular to trade in military and luxury goods as well as dual-use technologies, and also to authorise the inspection of cargoes moving into and out of North Korea.

Let me make one point: the people who have suffered the most from this policy over recent times have been the ordinary people of North Korea. They are the saddest victims of the policy of the North Korea government—oppressed to the extent that their human rights have been taken away from them. The people of North Korea do not have enough food to feed themselves, and yet they have a government that spends billions of dollars on nuclear weapons programs. It is a credit to the international community including, if I may say so, Australia, and a disgrace for North Korea that donor countries have continued to keep many of the people of North Korea alive.

A survey done by two of the UN agencies with the North Koreans—so the North Koreans were involved in this—found that 37 per cent of young children in North Korea are chronically malnourished. The robust international response to the North Korean nuclear testing will not include imposing even greater hardship on these people by cancelling aid. Certainly, it is worth reflecting that last year Australia spent $3½ million on food aid and basic water, sanitation and health care for North Korea. We have set aside this financial year a budget of $4 million to spend on helping the ordinary people of North Korea. It is our intention, despite what the regime has done, to continue with our food aid programs and it is our intention to continue with health and sanitation programs as well. The ordinary people of North Korea have been treated abominably by their government and I think the international community should give them some support, while imposing rigorous sanctions on North Korea of a kind that will, in particular, do damage to the North Korean regime itself.