Bongbong Marcos has ‘great concern’ over tensions in Korean Peninsula

People at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea watch a TV news program showing a file footage of a missile launched by North Korea. (Thursday, June 8, 2017) North Korea fired several projectiles believed to be short-range surface-to-ship cruise missiles off its east coast, South Korea’s military said. The continuation of weapons tests have rattled Washington and the North’s neighbors as Pyongyang seeks to build a nuclear missile capable of reaching the continental United States. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has expressed serious apprehension over the tensions in the Korean Peninsula.

Malacañang said the Chief Executive’s sentiment was telling during his Wednesday conversation with Komeito Party Chief Representative Yamaguchi Natsuo in the Palace.

Tensions flared in the Korean Peninsula after North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile.

“We also have continuing great concern on the actuations, shall we say, of North Korea with Japan, (would) be in very much, what we could call the line of fire,” Marcos told Yamaguchi.

“But this is something that, although we would say, is not top of mind in terms of security and defense,” he added.

Marcos also mentioned to his guest the Philippines’ support for the plans of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

The Japanese head of state had proposed holding various discussions on regional peace.

“We consider it a critical issue that, really, we in the region must work together very, very hard to try to alleviate the tensions, to try to make all the proponents of peace in the region be the dominant voice,” said Marcos.

He also brought up the country’s previous communications with Japan about joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea.

“I refer to the tripartite trilateral agreements that we have been talking about and have started to implement in terms of joint patrols, in terms of joint exercises for the two maritime forces of Japan and the Philippines,” Marcos said.

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APL/abc