North Korea sanctions monitoring will see increased contributions from New Zealand, operating out of Japan, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced Tuesday.
Luxon stated that the government has committed to deploying New Zealand Defence Force ships for the first time and increasing the frequency of aircraft deployments, with this support continuing until September 2026.
“This increase underscores New Zealand’s commitment to collective security efforts that promote peace, stability, and the international rules-based system in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Luxon.
The New Zealand government has been working to boost its international engagement, both diplomatically and militarily. Earlier this month, it announced plans to send more soldiers to the United Nations mission in South Korea.
The recent reports indicate that the defense force has been struggling with high attrition rates since the pandemic and outdated equipment. While capital spending for the coming year has been reduced, the government plans to increase funding after the Defence Capability Report is released.
The report will outline plans for new military spending over the coming years. Minister of Defence Judith Collins informed a parliamentary committee on Tuesday that she had received a draft copy of the report and hopes it will be submitted to government ministers for approval by September or October.