New Zealand Defence Force Press Release:
The NZDF has contributed personnel and maritime surveillance patrol aircraft to help enforce Security Council sanctions against North Korea since 2018.
North Korea continues to launch ballistic missiles in violation of Security Council resolutions. The sanctions are intended to persuade the country to denuclearise and abandon its ballistic missile weapons capabilities.
Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, Rear Admiral Jim Gilmour, said the NZDF was committed to working alongside partners on enforcement operations, to uphold the international rules-based system and contribute to regional stability and security.
The maritime surveillance and reconnaissance patrols will be over international waters looking for violations of the sanctions resolutions, including illicit ship-to-ship transfers of banned goods such as oil and coal, he said.
Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Andy Scott, said the deployment included several “firsts” for the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s latest aircraft, the Boeing P-8A Poseidon.
“This is the first time one of our Poseidons has been deployed operationally overseas, the first time we have operated in Asia, which will be the furthest deployment away from New Zealand, and the first time we have used this aircraft in support of New Zealand’s contribution to uphold UN Security Council sanctions enforcement.’’
Previous patrols in support of enforcing Security Council sanctions were conducted by the now-retired P-3K2 Orion.
The Poseidon aircraft and crew will be based in Japan, conducting sanctions enforcement flights in support of the Enforcement Coordination Centre. Patrols will be conducted during April and May.
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Japanese Ministry of Defence Press Release:
From mid-April to early May, New Zealand will engage in monitoring and surveillance activities of illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels, prohibited by the United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-8A Poseidon aircraft will use Kadena Air Base under the Agreement Regarding the Status of the United Nations Forces in Japan. It will be the sixth time for such activities to take place by the RNZAF since 2018.
Japan welcomes these activities from the viewpoint of ensuring effective implementation of the relevant UNSCRs while maintaining the solidarity of the international community for the realization of North Korea’s dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is also conducting information gathering activities for vessels suspected to be in violation of the UNSCRs, and Japan works closely with related countries including New Zealand and related international organizations.
