THERE is still no need to issue a travel advisory for Filipinos visiting South Korea because there has been no incident threatening Philippine nationals despite the heightened tension in the Korean peninsula.
But Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Philippine embassy in Seoul is in full alert and is ready to reactive evacuation protocols that have been in place since 2010 when North Korea shelled the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong, killing two civilians and two soldiers.
Renewed tension emerged on Friday after North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un ordered troops onto a war footing to back up an ultimatum for South Korea to halt high-decibel propaganda broadcasts across the border or face concerted military action.
The move came as military tensions on the divided Korean peninsula soared following a rare exchange of artillery fire on Thursday that put the South Korean army on maximum alert.
Technically, the two Koreas have been at war for the past 65 years, as the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a ceasefire that was never ratified by a formal peace treaty.
“We feel that it would be enough really to continue to issue the statements via media. Of course, our networks among and between the Filipino groups in South Korea have already been alerted,” Valte said in an interview over state-owned Radyo ng Bayan.
“We have a good protocol in South Korea as far as the evacuation and the information network of our OFWs there are concerned because we have many Filipino groups in South Korea. There are those Filipinos who are working as teachers, Filipino professors, religious groups and they are very actively in touch with our embassy,” Valte said.
“If you remember, we already had plans in place. I think this was sometime back in 2011, early on in President Aquino’s term, when there was also a similar exchange of fire between the two countries,” she said.
Meanwhile, in Washington, the United States pledged to defend South Korea, its top military officer has said.
General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made the comments in a phone call to a senior South Korean counterpart on August 21, as a North Korean deadline loomed for Seoul to halt the loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts.
“Chairman Dempsey reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the United States to the defense of the ROK (South Korea) and reiterated the strength of the US-ROK alliance,” a Pentagon statement said.
Dempsey and Admiral Choi Yoon-Hee “concurred they would watch North Korea’s actions closely in the coming days and would ensure that the US and ROK continue to work closely with one another to deter further North Korean provocations and defuse tensions”.
South and North Korea appeared to take a step back from a looming military clash and agreed to hold top-level talks Saturday, as their respective armies faced off across the border on high alert.
The international community has long experience of North Korea’s particularly aggressive brand of diplomatic brinkmanship, and the last-minute decision for dialogue will confirm for many that this has largely been another exercise in attention-seeking by Pyongyang. – With AFP
Also on Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs advised the over 40,000 Filipinos living and working in the Korean peninsula to be alert and cautious amid the increased tension.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said it was monitoring the situation even as the Philippines also urged restraint from both Koreas and called for the immediate de-escalation of tensions in order to maintain regional peace and stability.
While the situation in South Korea remains “normal,” the Philippine embassy in Seoul has imposed a “state of alertness” for Filipinos there. – With AFP
