Australia would join US in war against DPRK - PM Turnbull

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Australia would invoke the ANZUS treaty and join any potential conflict between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the US, Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Friday.

The Australia, New Zealand, US Security Treaty (ANZUS) is a security arrangement which was signed by Australia, New Zealand and the US in 1951, and requires trilateral cooperation regarding military matters in the Pacific region.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks as Australia's Minister for Justice Michael Keenan listens on during a media conference in Sydney, Australia, July 30, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The prime minister told local radio on Friday that Australia "would come to the aid of the US "if conflict arises, after discussing the matter with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a phone call held on Thursday evening.

"We stand with the US, so to be very clear, if there is an attack on the US, the ANZUS treaty would be invoked and Australia would come to the aid of the US, as America would come to our aid if we were attacked," Turnbull said on Macquarie radio.

Turnbull did not say in what specific capacity that would be, but said as one of Australia's closest allies, the US could expect substantial support from Australia.

US President Donald Trump (L), seated at his desk with National Security Advisor Michael Flynn (2nd R) and senior advisor Steve Bannon (R), speaks by phone with Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, US January 28, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Turnbull's comments came after the DPRK threatened a missile strike on the US Pacific territory of Guam following strong words from the US President Donald Trump.

Turnbull's confirmation came just a day after Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop refused to speculate as to whether Australia would invoke ANZUS in the event of conflict.

She told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that Australia was "not a party, in the legal sense, to the (current) Korean War armistice," and was at the time hesitant to declare Australia's support for the US

"As far as the ANZUS security alliance is concerned, that is an obligation to consult," Bishop said on Thursday morning

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull talks with Special Operations Command soldiers during a visit to the Australian Army's Holsworthy Barracks located in western Sydney, Australia, July 17, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Meanwhile, Australia's opposition Labor party has declared that it would work with the government in a bipartisan approach to the escalating tensions between the DPRK and the US.

"Australians should be reassured that on this matter… the politics of Labor and Liberal are working absolutely together," Labor leader Bill Shorten told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency