Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano. LYN RILLON/蜜桃工作室 FILE PHOTO
The Philippines urged the Democratic People鈥檚 Republic of Korea (DPRK) to stop its dangerous actions, after it launched a missile attack over Japan on Tuesday morning.
鈥淲e call on the DPRK to halt these dangerous and provocative actions, which heighten tensions, increase instability and the risk of miscalculation, and could possibly endanger lives,鈥� Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement.
The DFA chief also expressed grave concern following Pyongyang鈥檚 launch of ballistic missile that flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido at around 5:00 a.m. (Philippine time). Japan is around 3,070 km away from the Philippines.
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鈥淲e recall the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Foreign Ministers鈥� Statement on Developments in the Korean Peninsula issued on August 5th and urge the DPRK to fully comply with its obligations under the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions,鈥� Cayetano said after he was briefed on the incident.
The secretary said聽Asean and the Philippines, as this year鈥檚 chair, remain committed to peaceful resolutions of conflict.
鈥淲hile we are ready to do our part, provocations such as this latest missile launch should stop to help us put in place an environment that would be conducive for dialogue,鈥� he added.
Cayetano also said he had instructed the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo to continue the close monitoring of the situation and to ensure that the estimated 242,000 Filipinos living and working in Japan are safe.
鈥淚 wish to assure our kababayans (countrymen) in Japan that our Embassy in Tokyo and our Consulate General in Osaka are prepared to assist them should it be necessary,鈥� said Cayetano.
The latest missile launch was the second time North Korea fired a missile over Japanese airspace. The first missile launch was in 1998, according to Cayetano. JPV