DFA says Pinoys in South Korea safe

MANILA, Philippines - Filipinos in South Korea are safe following the exchange of fire between North and South Korea at the border last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said the DFA would not issue a travel advisory on South Korea. 

“Our close to 50,000 Filipinos in South Korea are generally safe,” Jose said in a press briefing.

North and South Korea are on alert for military conflict, after tensions erupted in a brief exchange of fire at the border on Thursday.

“We should take note that both sides, the North and the South, are already talking and trying to defuse the tension so we do not anticipate the situation to escalate,” Jose said.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye demanded yesterday that North Korea apologize over recent landmine blasts as the two sides held marathon talks to prevent military conflict.

Although Crisis Alert Level 1 is raised in South Korea, Jose said the DFA would not issue a ban on the deployment or repatriation of OFWs.

The Philippines has been closely monitoring the developing situation on the Korean Peninsula since Thursday.

In a statement, the DFA said “the Philippines urges restraint on both sides and calls for the immediate de-escalation of tensions to maintain regional peace and stability.”

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is also monitoring the security situation in the Korean Peninsula as it expressed its readiness to conduct an evacuation operation for Filipinos staying in South Korea.

“We are always in close coordination with the DFA in crisis like this. We are ready to support whatever the decision or policy of the DFA. As of now, we have three C-130 flying and one C-292 and these aircraft will be ready to support whenever the DFA needs them,” Col. Noel Detoyato, AFP Public Affairs Office (PAO) chief, said.

Detoyato said the AFP military evacuation plan is part of the contingencies that have been formulated by the national government to ensure the safety of Filipinos in South Korea.

AFP chief  Gen. Hernando Iriberri has ordered the Philippine Air Force to place its transport aircraft on standby.