Navy frigate to monitor North Korean goods

An Australian navy frigate will be sent to monitor the illegal ship-to-ship transfer of goods attempted to be smuggled into North Korea.

HMAS Arunta will be used as a deterrence on top of its surveillance capability to stop traders trying to circumvent sanctions imposed on the rogue state.

Air Vice-Marshal Michael Kitcher said Australia would join the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and New Zealand in upholding United Nation's sanctions.

"Australia is committed to upholding UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea in support of the international community's goal of complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation," the deputy chief of joint operations said.

Australia has also deployed patrol aircraft on 10 occasions since 2018 as part of Operation Argos.