Footage released by Australia shows its maritime patrol aircraft monitoring "vessels of interest" during a recent mission to enforce United Nations sanctions on North Korea.

Newsweek has contacted the North Korean Embassy in Beijing for comment via email.

Why It Matters

The U.N. Security Council has imposed sanctions on North Korea , seeking to increase the economic cost Pyongyang pays for continuing its nuclear and missile development .

The sanctions limit North Korea's imports of refined petroleum and crude oil, as well as its exports of coal. The Australian military is conducting an active mission, code-named Operation Argos , to monitor illegal ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned goods.

In addition to Australia , other United States allies, including Canada, France, It

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