Gov’t prepares to evacuate Pinoys in South Korea

The government is readying contingency and evacuation plans for Filipino nationals in South Korea, as its northern neighbor continues to defy calls to stop developing nuclear weapons and conducting tests.

President Arroyo said yesterday it’s best to be prepared even as she urged overseas Filipino workers in South Korea and their families to keep calm and allow the diplomatic process to work concerning North Korea.

Learning from past lessons, Mrs. Arroyo said the government has preparations for every contingency that would require taking Filipino nationals out of harm’s way.

"We have contingency plans that act as a protective mantle over our nationals in all corners of the globe whose safety and security are our primary concern," the President said.

"It may still be premature to put evacuation plans in motion as far as Korea is concerned, but we have instructed the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) and the DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) to be ready and prepared at all times," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo said the government would want to be able to respond to the situation similar to when war broke out in Iraq and Lebanon.

She expressed hopes mechanisms of stability would bear upon the situation and that the United Nations Security Council would come up with a solution to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons project.

Earlier, Mrs. Arroyo said North Korea’s refusal to heed the world’s call to stop nuclear testing "hangs a Damocles sword above East Asia, threatening regional integration and places the prosperity of all people in this part of the world at risk."

The President noted that the Philippines was within "striking distance" of North Korea, and she condemned in strongest terms the testing last Sunday.

The government also joined the international community in urging the North Korean government to drop its development of weapons of mass destruction and to shift its focus on regional collaboration rather than intimidation.

The UNSC has weighed a US proposal to impose potentially crippling sanctions on North Korea because of its decision to set off an atomic explosion. — Aurea Calica