Yoon calls for collective security with Japan, Australia, New Zealand after N.K. launch

▲ The leaders of the so-called Asia-Pacific Partnership, or AP4, a group of four key Asia-Pacific partner countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) -- South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand -- pose for a photo prior to their talks on the sidelines of the NATO summit at a hotel in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 12, 2023. From left are Anthony Albanese of Australia, Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea, Fumio Kishida of Japan and Chris Hipkins of New Zealand. (Yonhap)

Yoon-Asia Pacific leaders

Yoon calls for collective security with Japan, Australia, New Zealand after N.K. launch

By Lee Haye-ah

VILNIUS, July 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday called for establishing a strong collective security posture with Japan, Australia and New Zealand following North Korea's launch of a long-range ballistic missile into the sea.

Yoon made the remark while meeting with his counterparts from the AP4 -- South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand -- on the sidelines of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit.

"I believe we, the AP4, should band together with NATO to establish a strong collective security posture," Yoon said at the outset of the meeting. "We will have to use this as an opportunity to enhance our cooperation framework with NATO and take a leading role in regional security in the Indo-Pacific region."

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida echoed the remarks, saying he strongly condemns the launch as a threat to international peace and stability, and hopes to respond jointly with the other three nations.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called out the North for breaching U.N. rules.

"We once again saw the egregious launch of an ICBM by North Korea overnight," he said, referring to an intercontinental ballistic missile. "We stand particularly with our friends in South Korea at this time."

New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins noted the leaders gathered at a "very challenging time for the world," citing the war in Ukraine and democracy under attack.

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea fired a long-range ballistic missile into the East Sea at around 10 a.m. (local time), the latest provocation amid tensions caused by the reclusive regime's accusations against U.S. spy aircraft operations earlier this week.

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