An Australian military officer is aboard the US aircraft carrier George Washington as a show of support for South Korea, Defence Minister Stephen Smith says.
Australia remained "very concerned" about North Korean aggression following last week's artillery bombardment of a South Korean border village.
Representatives from Australia, the United Kingdom and France were on hand on Monday to witness a joint naval exercise in the Yellow Sea, held by the United States and South Korea.
"We had an official on board the USS George Washington as essentially a show of support," Mr Smith told ABC Radio on Tuesday.
"It is essentially a way of us reflecting that we strongly support the UN monitoring of the armistice agreement but as also strongly supporting the Republic of Korea at what is a very difficult time."
"We continue to indicate to them both publicly and privately that we are very pleased with the restraint they have shown."
South Korea had conducted itself with great restraint in the face of terrible provocation, Mr Smith said.
"We continue to urge restraint just as we continue to say we strongly support the Republic of Korea at this very difficult time," he said.
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