NZDF bolsters North Korea sanctions enforcement with HMNZS Aotearoa and P-8A Poseidon
08 December 2025
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions on North Korea
We deploy maritime patrol aircraft and currently have people based at an Enforcement Coordination Cell, as part of efforts to support the United Nations Security Council resolutions imposing sanctions on North Korea. The sanctions are intended to persuade North Korea to denuclearise and abandon its ballistic missile capabilities
Our RNZAF aircraft play a crucial role in monitoring and ensuring compliance with these sanctions; maritime surveillance patrols detect and deter sanctions evasion activities such as ship-to-ship transfers of illicit goods at sea.
Pursuing the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea is an important part of New Zealand’s strong stance on nuclear non-proliferation.
When deployed on this operation, our aircraft are based in Japan.
