Foreign minister Winston Peters will push for stronger sanctions against North Korea at a summit in Canada today.
The Deputy Prime Minister's gathering with foreign ministers from 20 other countries in Vancouver, to discuss North Korea's nuclear missile aspirations.
Peters said it's time to turn up the heat on Kim Jong Un.
"The sanctions have not had the impact they were designed and desired to have. The international community is prepared to help if they forgo this pathway down which they are going."
Auckland University associate professor of politics and international relations, Stephen Hoadley, said world leaders may need to pressure Donald Trump into scaling back his rhetoric against Kim Jong Un.
He said Trump's aggressive language, Tweets and counter-threats are inflaming the situation.
China and Russia are not taking part in the summit.
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