Monitoring and surveillance activities by New Zealand against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers

Patrol aircraft of New Zealand P-3K2 (Source: Ministry of National Defence of New Zealand)

April 20, 2021

1 From late April to late May, New Zealand will engage in monitoring and surveillance activities by aircraft against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels prohibited by the United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), using Kadena Air Base under the Agreement Regarding the Status of the United Nations Forces in Japan. This is the fourth of such activities by New Zealand’s aircraft since 2018.

2 Japan welcomes these activities from the viewpoint of ensuring effective implementation of the relevant UNSCRs in solidarity with the international community toward 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.