DPRK tells foreign embassies of possible evacuations

PYONGYANG/MOSCOW - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has told foreign embassies to consider the possibility of evacuation if tensions flare up, diplomatic sources said Friday.

The suggestion was delivered by the DPRK's Foreign Ministry to the diplomatic missions in Pyongyang, the sources said.

Denis Samsonov, press officer of the Russian embassy in Pyongyang, told Russian media that the DPRK suggested the diplomatic mission and personnel of other Russian organizations consider the possibility of evacuation in connection with the escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

"The Russian side has taken note of this proposal," Itar-Tass news agency quoted Samsonov as saying, adding that no decision has been made yet and the Russian embassy continued operating normally.

Diplomats were "closely monitoring" the situation in Pyongyang and all over the DPRK territory as well as statements from the country's leaders, Samsonov added.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow intends to clarify details before making a decision regarding the DPRK's offer to evacuate Russia's diplomatic mission.

"The offer was made to those embassies, which are in Pyongyang, and we are currently trying to clarify the situation," Lavrov told reporters during a visit to Uzbekistan.

The DPRK has not decided to evacuate foreign diplomats, but just made such an offer, Lavrov said.

"I will repeat once again because many factors are involved here, we are currently trying to clarify all these factors related to other countries involved in the six-party process," Lavrov said.

In a notification to foreign embassies and diplomatic missions in Pyongyang, the DPRK's Foreign Ministry said due to the increasing threat from the United States, the situation on the Korean Peninsula was very tense.

The current question was not whether, but when a war would break out on the peninsula, the ministry said.

It added that once something happened on the peninsula, foreign embassies and diplomatic missions should consider the possibility of evacuation.

The DPRK would also provide safe locations for diplomatic personnel in accordance with international conventions, the ministry said.