(Yonhap file photo)
MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday denounced North Korea's flurry of ballistic missile tests, one of which landed near the South Korean waters on Wednesday, further escalating tension in the region.
The DFA urged Pyongyang to return to dialogue as it called on all parties to exercise utmost restraint.
"The Philippines condemns the DPRK's (Democratic People's Republic of Korea's) latest missile launches which further increase tension and undermine peace and stability in an already volatile region," the DFA said in a statement.
It also called on North Korea to comply with its obligations under the relevant United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolutions and to commit to the process of constructive and peaceful dialogue with the South.
This is the fourth statement the Philippine government issued on the North Korea situation this 2022, according to Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Neal Imperial.
"This is of paramount concern to us because we do have around 46,500 Filipinos living and working in the Republic of Korea, in close proximity to North Korea," he said in a separate briefing.
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs Daniel Espiritu added that the Southeast Asian bloc's position on the weapons tests has also" been consistent and clear".
"North Korea has always been part of the agenda," he said. "We've always expressed our concern regarding the ballistic missile test of North Korea and we've always called on North Korea to abide by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions on this issue."
As many as 23 missiles were launched by Pyongyang on Wednesday in response to the South Korea-United States joint military drills.
The South Korean Ministry of Unification said the exercises are aimed at strengthening "readiness posture against North Korea" as the latter had been "raising the level of threats to South Korea" with its tests since early this year.
"Since the beginning of the year, North Korea has been raising the level of threats to South Korea by continuing its military provocations, such as launching of multiple types of ballistic missiles, and by adopting the 'DPRK's Policy on the Nuclear Forces' to enable preemptive nuclear use under its own discretion," it told the Philippine News Agency.
"North Korea's provocation is not only a serious threat to South Korea, but it also is in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and poses serious challenge to regional stability and peace," it added. (PNA)
