In a blunt warning to the national congress of the Returned and Services League, Kevin Rudd also said he wanted to use Australia’s status as “a middle power” to promote comprehensive diplomatic engagement within the region and through the UN as a buffer against regional rivalries.

It reported on Saturday that five Chinese doctors had been in North Korea for more than a week, possibly to treat the country’s so-called Dear Leader, Kim Jong-Il. But South Korea’s spy agency later said there was no indication Mr. Kim’s health might be worsening.