Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has labelled the security pact between Russia and North Korea as destabilizing and a "threat to the world," according to a statement released by the Australian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.

Wong made the remarks to journalists in the city of Paju during her visit to South Korea.

She underscored Australia's solidarity with South Korea and expressed concern over North Korea's destabilizing actions.

Wong reiterated Australia's condemnation of North Korea's ballistic missile launches, which threaten the security of Australia and its partners, including South Korea and Japan.

"We see Russia's behavior as not serving peace, but rather escalating tensions," the Australian official said.

She added that "the continued transfer of weapons from North Korea to Russia is a clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions."

On June 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea and signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership agreement" between the two countries.

Putin explained that the agreement includes a pledge from each party to provide military assistance if the other is attacked, but he avoided using the word "alliance."

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un described the agreement as a "pact" and asserted that relations had reached the level of a "strong alliance."