The Royal Australian Navy frigate has been deployed to support efforts to enforce sanctions on North Korea.
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HMAS Warramunga is the latest Australian Defence Force platform to participate in Operation Argos — Australia’s contribution to international efforts to monitor and deter illegal shipments of sanctioned goods to North Korea, as part of United Nations’ Security Council Resolution 2397.
The frigate is expected to support a multinational force including Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, the UK and US.
Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton, noted the importance of the deployment, stating it would “add weight” to Australia’s economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea.
“Enforcing UN sanctions supports the international community’s goal of the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea,” LTGEN Bilton said.
“Australia is committed to the stability and security of our region and will continue to enforce sanctions until North Korea takes concrete steps towards denuclearisation.”
HMAS Warramunga is the sixth RAN warship to participate in the operation, and the second this year, following the deployment of HMAS Ballarat in May 2021.
Other ADF platforms have also been deployed, including Royal Australian Air Force P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, which has participated on nine occasions, most recently in August 2021.
HMAS Warramunga is currently conducting a deployment to south-east and north-east Asia, which has involved navy-to-navy engagements with partner nations.
[Related: P-8A Poseidon deployed to support Operation Argos]