North Korea has sent an open letter to the Australian Parliament, in an apparent attempt to foment divisions between Australia and U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
The letter, which Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says is the first of its kind sent from North Korea to Australia, rails against Trump.
Regarding Trump’s September speech to the UN, in which he vowed to “totally destroy” North Korea if it threatened America with nuclear weapons, the letter calls those “reckless remarks” an “intolerable insult to the Korean people” and “a declaration of war against the DPRK“.
In an apparent attempt to scare Australia from acting as America’s ally against the North Korean regime’s provocations, the letter warns “the U.S. brought to their knees those countries devoid of principle, narrow-minded and selfish countries seeking after their own interests”.
The letter, which was also sent to other nations, seems to come as a response to heavy economic sanctions placed upon North Korea. It claims the “illegal” sanctions “deny the elementary right to existence of Korean people”.
Touting North Korea’s nuclear might, the letter states Trump’s threats are “a big miscalculation and an expression of ignorance,” and called for Australia’s “sharp vigilance against the heinous and reckless moves of the Trump administration”.
The wild diplomatic message was first delivered to North Korea’s embassy in Indonesia late last month. The Sydney Morning Herald reports it was delivered to Bishop a week later. She revealed its existence yesterday.
Bishop said it’s “unprecedented” for North Korea to reach out via a letter, as they usually just posture via their government-run news outlet. It is unclear if Australia’s foreign ministry plans to issue a formal response.
Regardless, Bishop says the weird, weird move is “showing that the collective strategy of allies and partners to impose maximum pressure and diplomatic and economic sanctions on North Korea is working.”
If you want to read a rare instance of diplomatic sabre-rattling directed at the Australian government, you can check out the whole letter HERE.
