Despite escalating tension:

Lankans in S.Korea say 'no panic situation'

By Manjula Fernando

Sri Lankans working and living in South Korea are still not affected by the growing tensions of the North-South verbal duel that has ensued for almost four months. For those living in Pohang, a major industrial city in South Korea, its business as usual.

Lal Rajapaksa who runs a business in Pohang, 360 km South East of Seoul says none of the South Koreans are concerned about the threats even though Forces manning the borders on the South Korean side are kept on alert after threats of an all out war from its hostile neighbour.

"There are daily reports in the international media of heightened activity but we have not felt anything on the ground," Rajapaksa, a 51-year-old father of two, a girl and a boy attending junior and high school in South Korea said. He had been living in Korea for seven and a half years.

During the previous war between North Korea and South Korea, Pohang was one of the key targets. It is an industrial hub where the Korean industrial giant Hyundai has their base. There is a population of about 300 Sri Lankans living in the city of Pohang.

Lal Rajapaksa(Centre) who runs a business in Pohang, 360 km South East of Seoul

Sri Lankans employed in Seoul at a get-together

"None of the South Koreans pay attention to these reports of possible attacks and are not afraid. They are least bothered," Rajapaksa said. Foreign Employment Bureau, Deputy General Manager and spokesman, Mangala Randeniya said in total there were less than 25,000 Sri Lankans living and working in South Korea. This includes the visa over-stayers, illegal immigrants as well as students.

Less than 22,500 are workers registered with SLBFE under the Employment Permit System (EPS), those who have been sent on five-year work permits. He said the Bureau is in contact with the HRD Korea, their counterpart which has assured the safety of Lankans and kept them updated on the situation. The Labour Minister and the Chairman SLBFE have held discussions about options available for a possible evacuation. "We are constantly monitoring the situation but at the moment there is nothing to worry."

"We have previous experience in Kuwait which prepared us on emergency evacuation. During 1990/1991 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, we had 125,000 Lankans working there. The UN was there and it offered logistical assistance to rescue our workers."

Almost all the Sri Lankans working in South Korea are manual workers, a few others are engaged in skilled labour. They have all been given life insurance cover by their South Korean employers.

Since the EPS system was initiated in concurrence with the Korean Government in 2003, Sri Lanka has been sending thousands of youth there to work in industrial sector all over the country, most of the Sri Lankans there are concentrated in the capital Seoul. Others are mostly in South Eastern cities of Busan and Pohang.

"We are not expecting an invasion as such but a threat of a missile attack is not ruled out," Randeniya said adding that South Korea has its own high tech mechanism to safeguard the country and more importantly their industrial zones and hot spots where most of the Lankans are concentrated.

He said if anyone wishes to come back before their contract ends they could contact their employer and the Sri Lankan mission in Seoul. There is no restriction for people to return. "We are in fact working on sending more people there, and in getting more work permits, none so far have expressed their desire to come back to Sri Lanka due to the developing situation," he said. Following the launch of the verbal war, the Bureau is in touch with HRD Korea almost daily to get an update on the evolving situation.

The Director General of External Affairs Ministry's Publicity Division, Rodney Perera said at this stage they were not expecting an attack on South Korea. "There is heightened tension but chances are remote that there will be an all-out war."

If at all the chances are that North Korea will fire some missiles and it is certain that South Korea is well prepared to face such an eventuality. He said Sri Lanka maintains good relations with North Korea as well.

The Ministry's East Asian Desk has been calling for reports from the Lankan mission in Seoul in an attempt to read the situation there clearly. The Ministry has also contacted the Sri Lankan associations via the Embassy to keep a record of Sri Lankans and their exact locations.

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[Timeline]

Dec 12, 2012: North Korea successfully launches three-stage rocket and places satellite in orbit. Seoul, Washington and UN condemn launch as a covert ballistic missile test.

Jan 22, 2013: UN Security Council passes a resolution condemning North Korea's rocket launch and tightens existing sanctions.

Jan 24: North Korea's National Defence Commission says it will proceed with a "high-level nuclear test".

Feb 12: North Korea conducts a third nuclear test.

Feb 26: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un oversees a live-fire artillery drill.

March 1: South Korea and US launch annual "Foal Eagle" joint military exercise.

March 5: North Korea says it will scrap armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.

March 7: North Korea threatens a "pre-emptive" nuclear strike against the United States and South Korea. The United Nations adopts tougher sanctions.

March 8: North Korea severs a government hotline with Seoul. Kim Jong-Un tours frontline island units and vows "all-out war".

March 11: South Korea and US launch annual "Key Resolve" joint military exercise.

March 12: Kim Jong-Un threatens to "wipe out" South Korean island of Baengnyeong.

March 15: Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel announces plans to bolster US mainland defences against a possible North Korean missile strike.

March 18: US Deputy Defence Secretary, Ashton Carter promises to provide South Korea with every military resource under the US nuclear umbrella.

March 19: US publicises flights by nuclear-capable B-52 bombers over South Korea as part of "Foal Eagle" exercise.

March 21: North Korean army threatens strikes against US military bases in Japan and Guam in response to B-52 flights.

March 22: South Korea and US sign new pact providing for a joint military response even to low-level provocation by North Korea.

March 26: South Korean President Park Geun-Hye warns North Korea its only "path to survival" lies in abandoning nuclear and missile programmes. North Korea's military puts its "strategic" rocket units on a war footing.

March 27: North Korea cuts last remaining military hotline with South Korea.

March 28: The United States deploys two nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bombers on "deterrence" missions over South Korea. Hagel says US ready for "any eventuality."

March 29: Kim Jong-Un, vowing to "settle accounts," orders missile units to prepare to strike US mainland and military bases in the Pacific.

March 30: North Korea declares it had entered into a "state of war" with South Korea.

April 2: The United States positions a destroyer capable of shooting down missiles off the North Korean coast.

April 3: Access to the joint industrial complex of Kaesong is delayed as tensions between the north and the south increase.

April 5: North Korea moves a medium-range missile to its east coast, according to South Korean government officials.