April 8th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com) The Embassy of Costa Rica in South Korea has triggered a security protocol over concerns that armed conflict may erupt between South Korea and the DPRK.
The protocol puts in place plans to evacuate more than 300 Costa Ricans living in South Korea should conflict occur, according to Vice Chancellor, Carlos Roversi.
Roverssi said that the protocol is now activated and the embassy has been in communication with Costa Ricans in that country.
While he declined to reveal details of the evacuation plan, Roverssi said the idea would be to get Costa Rican citizens to safer areas until they can be brought back to Costa Rica.
There is a community of highly-education Costa Ricans in South Korea, many of whom work for corporations in that country. There are also Costa Ricans doing graduate studies in South Korea, thanks to an agreement between the two countries.
Threats from North Korea, and tensions on the Korean Peninsula, have escalated in recent days.
Seoul and Washington have kept close watch on premises where it is believed that North Korea holds their Musudan missiles, whose range is estimated at about 4,000 kilometers – capable of reaching U.S. bases in Guam and Japan.
Costa Rica’s Foreign Ministry, through a statement issued last week, urged the North Korean government to lower tensions and return to dialogue.