United Future leader, Hon Peter Dunne, has criticised the Government's decision to give diplomatic recognition to North Korea as ill-timed and an insult to the democratic nations of the region.

Mr Dunne says North Korea remains one of the world's rogue states.

"New Zealand's decision to recognise it now seems at variance with the efforts of President Kim dae-Jung of South Korea to bring the two countries together."

"New Zealand's unilateral action implies that we do not believe these efforts will be successful," he says.

Mr Dunne says the move is also a calculated insult to the democracies of the region, especially the emerging democracy of Taiwan.

"It is extraordinary that we should continue to deny strengthening relations with Taiwan, while continuing to dance like puppets on a string to the tune of totalitarian, undemocratic communist China."

"Now we seem determined to snub emerging efforts in South Korea to promote reunification and democracy on the Korean peninsula by recognising the totalitarian communist regime in Pyongyang," Mr Dunne says.

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