Business normal for diplomats in Seoul

Seoul’s diplomatic community remained unruffled following Monday’s announcement of Kim Jong-il’s death, with many envoys departing on planned Christmas vacations despite South Korean institutions’ “high alert” status.

Branches of the South’s government and military held emergency meetings following the announcement that left uncertainty over the North’s leadership and fears of turmoil in the communist regime.

Irish Ambassador to Seoul Eamonn McKee contacted the Irish community in Korea Tuesday to allay any fears of trouble from the oft-belligerent North, but still departed the country as scheduled.

“(Kim’s) death raises many questions which only time will answer,” he said.

“As of now, the general expectation, which we at the embassy share, is that there will be no immediate change in the policies of the DPRK.

“There is no immediate necessity to take any further precautions.”

A press officer for the U.S. Embassy in Seoul said no update had been sent out to American citizens in Korea, but a British Embassy spokesman said all U.K. citizens registered with his embassy here had received a message with the latest news.

“We are continuing to monitor the situation closely at our embassy in Seoul and our embassy in Pyongyang as well as keeping in close touch with the South Korean authorities,” he said.

The British Foreign Office’s updated DPRK travel advice assessed no increased risk, but advised Brits in or traveling to the country to monitor local news and to register with the British Embassy in Pyongyang.

“Travelers to DPRK should be sensitive to public displays of grief and avoid remarks about the leadership which could be deemed offensive,” the advice added.

Kenyan Ambassador to Korea Ngovi Kitau said that while Kenya’s embassy in Beijing was updating his country on issues emerging from the North, he added: “We will need to see how it develops, personally I don’t think there is a lot to worry about now in Korea.”

Swedish Deputy Head of Mission Ulf Sormark said: “It seems that everything is very calm. I don’t think that there is any reason for worries.”

Many diplomatic staff said their embassies did not feel the need to alert citizens on the matter, adding that no one had contacted them concerned by the news.

Theshantha Kumarasiri, first secretary of the Sri Lankan Embassy, said: “We have 25,000 citizens here and no one has called the embassy regarding this matter.”

By Kirsty Taylor (kirstyt@heraldcorp.com)