Relationship dossier
Australia
North Korea
Relationship assessment
Sanctions and North Korea’s weapons programs have driven a confrontational Australia–North Korea relationship.
Australia toward North Korea
-35Australia has imposed autonomous sanctions on North Korea and implemented United Nations sanctions. Australian governments have also criticized North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic-missile programs.
North Korea toward Australia
-40North Korea has condemned Australia’s support for sanctions and, in 2017, publicly warned of consequences after Australian criticism of its nuclear program.
Overall relationship
-35The relationship is shaped chiefly by Australia’s sanctions and opposition to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, and by North Korean denunciations and threats in response. These security disputes outweigh the limited substantive cooperation known between the governments.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Australia has imposed and enforced sanctions on North Korea and criticized its nuclear and ballistic-missile programs. North Korea has condemned Australian support for sanctions and publicly threatened consequences in response to Australian criticism. The relationship is marked by security-related confrontation, with little known substantive bilateral cooperation.
Areas of tension
- North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and testing
- North Korea’s ballistic-missile program
- Australia’s support for sanctions against North Korea
Key developments
Australia restored diplomatic relations with North Korea after a period in which relations had been suspended.
Australia imposed autonomous sanctions on North Korea in response to its weapons programs.
North Korea publicly warned Australia of consequences following Australian criticism of its nuclear program.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and practical use of direct diplomatic engagement between the governments are unclear.
- Details of North Korean government actions specifically directed at Australia beyond public statements are limited.