An Australian warship has been deployed to impose United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions on North Korea.

HMAS Sydney left in late March and will be deployed for three months to sail in nearby seas off Japan and enforce sanctions against North Korea.

The sanctions restrict North Korea’s refined petroleum and crude oil imports and coal exports, which are facilitated through ship-to-ship transfers.

“We work closely with the Enforcement Coordination Cell located at Yokosuka in Japan, and sail in areas where suspected illegal activity is expected to take place,” HMAS Sydney Commander Ben Weller said.

“The ship is equipped with an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and a suite of sensors that allow us to monitor illegal ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned goods.”

Australia also deployed the Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon to Japan in April.

The UNSC imposed strict sanctions on North Korea after it conducted a nuclear test on October 9, 2006, which have been amended and extended in response to continued nuclear and missile tests ever since.

The supply, sale or transfer of all goods, except food and medicine, to North Korea is restricted unless authorised by the UNSC.

Australia adopted some of these sanctions into law and enforces them under Operation Argos, which has led to 13 deployments of navy vessels since 2018.

“Operation Argos supports the international community’s goal of the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea,” Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones said.

“Enforcing UNSC sanctions against North Korea is consistent with Australia’s commitment to a rules-based global order.”