With looming war clouds:

Govt ready to evacuate Lankans in South Korea

by S. Selvakumar

The Government was in a state of preparedness about Sri Lankan expatriates in South Korea from the time North Korea flexed its muscles last week and threatened to attack her Southern neighbour, targeting American military bases.

The threat from North Korea came last week and South Korea was so perturbed that the US strengthened its military bases in the Korean peninsula and naval bases in the Pacific Ocean.

According to agency reports, over 25,000 Sri Lankan expatriates expressed concern about war breaking out and that a major military conflict being imminent.

Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera said that the situation was being monitored continuously on account of the large Sri Lankan work-force and all steps have been taken to evacuate them in the event of the military conflict escalating.

"According to the feedback from our mission, the situation does not look that bad. However, we are on the alert," Perera said.

Perera said that South Korea's Vice Minister of Labour had informed the Foreign Employment Bureau that all Sri Lankans who were successful in the Korean language tests held in 2011 and '12 would be provided employment, and this shares that day-to-day activities have not been affected. "In any event, we have informed the International Organisation for Migration of our concerns," he said.