DFA: Despite tension from North Korea, no Pinoys want to leave South
The Philippine government on Wednesday downplayed North Korean’s warning to all foreigners to leave South Korea amid the volatile security situation in the peninsula.
Amid provocative threats from the North, Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said mass repatriation is not being considered at this time, but noted that Philippine officials in Seoul are prepared to activate their contingency plan to ensure the safety of more than 40,000 Filipinos there.
Tensions in the Korean Peninsula is the latest potential crisis involving overseas Filipinos workers to be dealt with by the Philippine government following the violence and unrest in Libya and Syria in recent years.
“We will only raise the alert levels when we are very sure that there is an imminent attack or an all-out war in the South Korean soil is inevitable,” Hernandez told a press briefing Wednesday.
One critical determinant, he added, would be the declaration by the South Korean government of national emergency.
Reports from its embassy in Seoul said the situation in South Korea remains “calm and normal.”
"Remember, before that they also called for the evacuation of the staff of the embassies in North Korea and it seems nobody responded to that call. Now they are calling for foreigners to leave South Korea but it seems that the foreigners there are shrugging off this advisory," he said.
Nevertheless, Hernandez said there has been no let-up in the government's efforts to enhance its preparedness for any eventuality.
He said the Philippine embassy in Seoul is in touch with South Korean authorities as well as the United Nations command and US forces.
“We are trying to get in-depth analysis and solid intelligence regarding the possibility of an imminent attack,” Hernandez said.
Manila’s contingency plan, he added, will have to be coordinated with contingency plan of the South Korean government and one possibility is the use of existing bomb shelters across the country in the event of an attack.
“They have about 25,000 evacuation sites all over South Korea and these are in tunnels and in subways, basements, which would be a good place to hide in case of an attack,” Hernandez said.
Once the situation clears up, Hernandez said, the Philippine government will immediately move the Filipinos to safer areas and out of Korea either through chartered plan or by ship.
North Korea last month said it was entering a “state of war” with South Korea for holding what it calls “hostile” joint military drills with the United States.
South Korea said it would retaliate if North Korea launched an attack on its territory.
The Philippines has called for "sobriety among all stakeholders and for the easing of tensions in the region."
“We still view the developments in Korea and in the Korean Peninsula with great concern,” Hernandez said. “We would like to reiterate our advice to Filipinos in South Korea to remain vigilant and alert.”
Very high probability of launching missile
According to a Reuters news agency report, South Korea said on Wednesday there was "very high" probability that North Korea, engaged in weeks of threats of war, would launch a medium-range missile at any time as a show of strength despite diplomatic efforts to soften its position.
Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said South Korea had asked China and Russia to intercede with the North to ease tension that has built up steadily since the U.N. Security Council slapped new sanctions on Pyongyang after its third nuclear arms test last month.
Signs of anxiety, however, remained notably absent in chilly Seoul, long used to North Korean invective under its 30-year-old leader Kim Jong-un. Offices were open and customers crowded into city-center cafes.
Other officials in Seoul said surveillance of North Korean activity has been enhanced. Missile transporters had been spotted in South Hamgyong province along North Korea's east coast -- possible sites for a launch.
North Korea observes several anniversaries in the next few days and they could be pretexts for military displays. These include the first anniversary of Kim's formal ascent to power, the 20th anniversary of rule by his father Kim Jong-il, who died in 2011, and the birth date next Monday of his grandfather, state founder Kim Il-Sung.
In Washington, Admiral Samuel Locklear, the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific region, also said the U.S. military believed North Korea had moved an unspecified number of Musudan missiles to its east coast.
The Musudan can reach targets at a distance of 3,500 km (2,100 miles) or more, according to South Korea, which would put Japan within range and may even threaten Guam which is home to U.S. bases. South Korea can be reached by the North's short-range Scud missiles.
The North has been threatening the United States and its "puppet" South Korea almost daily in recent weeks, though the threats appear to be aimed partly at boosting internal support for Kim.
Foreign Minister Yun told a parliamentary hearing in Seoul: "According to intelligence obtained by our side and the U.S., the possibility of a missile launch by North Korea is very high."
North Korea, he said, could launch a Musudan missiles "at any time from now. The Musudan missile has a range of 3,500 km and it's up to North Korea how far it would fly."
- with reports from Michaela del Callar, Reuters, VVP, GMA News
Amid provocative threats from the North, Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said mass repatriation is not being considered at this time, but noted that Philippine officials in Seoul are prepared to activate their contingency plan to ensure the safety of more than 40,000 Filipinos there.
Tensions in the Korean Peninsula is the latest potential crisis involving overseas Filipinos workers to be dealt with by the Philippine government following the violence and unrest in Libya and Syria in recent years.
“We will only raise the alert levels when we are very sure that there is an imminent attack or an all-out war in the South Korean soil is inevitable,” Hernandez told a press briefing Wednesday.
One critical determinant, he added, would be the declaration by the South Korean government of national emergency.
Reports from its embassy in Seoul said the situation in South Korea remains “calm and normal.”
"Remember, before that they also called for the evacuation of the staff of the embassies in North Korea and it seems nobody responded to that call. Now they are calling for foreigners to leave South Korea but it seems that the foreigners there are shrugging off this advisory," he said.
Nevertheless, Hernandez said there has been no let-up in the government's efforts to enhance its preparedness for any eventuality.
He said the Philippine embassy in Seoul is in touch with South Korean authorities as well as the United Nations command and US forces.
“We are trying to get in-depth analysis and solid intelligence regarding the possibility of an imminent attack,” Hernandez said.
Manila’s contingency plan, he added, will have to be coordinated with contingency plan of the South Korean government and one possibility is the use of existing bomb shelters across the country in the event of an attack.
“They have about 25,000 evacuation sites all over South Korea and these are in tunnels and in subways, basements, which would be a good place to hide in case of an attack,” Hernandez said.
Once the situation clears up, Hernandez said, the Philippine government will immediately move the Filipinos to safer areas and out of Korea either through chartered plan or by ship.
North Korea last month said it was entering a “state of war” with South Korea for holding what it calls “hostile” joint military drills with the United States.
South Korea said it would retaliate if North Korea launched an attack on its territory.
The Philippines has called for "sobriety among all stakeholders and for the easing of tensions in the region."
“We still view the developments in Korea and in the Korean Peninsula with great concern,” Hernandez said. “We would like to reiterate our advice to Filipinos in South Korea to remain vigilant and alert.”
Very high probability of launching missile
According to a Reuters news agency report, South Korea said on Wednesday there was "very high" probability that North Korea, engaged in weeks of threats of war, would launch a medium-range missile at any time as a show of strength despite diplomatic efforts to soften its position.
Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said South Korea had asked China and Russia to intercede with the North to ease tension that has built up steadily since the U.N. Security Council slapped new sanctions on Pyongyang after its third nuclear arms test last month.
Signs of anxiety, however, remained notably absent in chilly Seoul, long used to North Korean invective under its 30-year-old leader Kim Jong-un. Offices were open and customers crowded into city-center cafes.
Other officials in Seoul said surveillance of North Korean activity has been enhanced. Missile transporters had been spotted in South Hamgyong province along North Korea's east coast -- possible sites for a launch.
North Korea observes several anniversaries in the next few days and they could be pretexts for military displays. These include the first anniversary of Kim's formal ascent to power, the 20th anniversary of rule by his father Kim Jong-il, who died in 2011, and the birth date next Monday of his grandfather, state founder Kim Il-Sung.
In Washington, Admiral Samuel Locklear, the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific region, also said the U.S. military believed North Korea had moved an unspecified number of Musudan missiles to its east coast.
The Musudan can reach targets at a distance of 3,500 km (2,100 miles) or more, according to South Korea, which would put Japan within range and may even threaten Guam which is home to U.S. bases. South Korea can be reached by the North's short-range Scud missiles.
The North has been threatening the United States and its "puppet" South Korea almost daily in recent weeks, though the threats appear to be aimed partly at boosting internal support for Kim.
Foreign Minister Yun told a parliamentary hearing in Seoul: "According to intelligence obtained by our side and the U.S., the possibility of a missile launch by North Korea is very high."
North Korea, he said, could launch a Musudan missiles "at any time from now. The Musudan missile has a range of 3,500 km and it's up to North Korea how far it would fly."
- with reports from Michaela del Callar, Reuters, VVP, GMA News
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