Pacific Islands Forum countries say they'll work to ban North Korean fishing vessels from their waters.
North Korean fishing vessels are docked on the banks of the Yalu River in the North Korean border town of Sinuiju on April 6, 2009 across the river from Dandong, in northeast China's Liaoning province. Photo: AFP
North Korea has tested nuclear warheads and threatened the United States Pacific territory of Guam in recent weeks, which the forum countries have condemned.
Speaking for the Forum leaders, Samoa's Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, said the region would work to force North Korean boats out of their waters.
He said some North Korean vessels were fishing in the region using the flags of forum states, through the so-called flags of convenience system.
"New Zealand and Australia will assist other member states with intelligence gathering to identify illegal flagging of vessels by North Korea," Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said.