New Zealand will increase its military contribution to N. Korea sanctions monitoring

New Zealand will enhance its contribution to North Korea sanctions monitoring based in Japan, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced on Tuesday. The government will deploy New Zealand Defence Force ships for the first time and increase aircraft deployments until September 2026. This decision underscores New Zealand's commitment to collective security in the Indo-Pacific region. Despite facing challenges like high attrition rates and aging equipment, New Zealand aims to boost military spending, with a new Defence Capability Report set for approval later this year, according to Defence Minister Judith Collins.