Prime Minister Hun Sen has told migrant workers in South Korea not to worry about their safety, saying the likelihood of conflict breaking out on the peninsula is remote.
The premier said the recent trading of threats between North Korea and the US was “the flex of their muscles”, adding that Cambodia had no plans to evacuate its citizens.
“First, the war has yet to happen so why do we need to evacuate? Evacuations are no small thing, via sea or air, because there is no road connection,” he said.
“Second, staying is safer than evacuation. Just live the way the Korean people are living.”
He said that the tens of thousands of workers would lose their jobs if they were pulled out of the country.
Last week, the US announced it was sending the warship USS Carl Vinson to the area.
Long Dimanche, Cambodia’s envoy to Seoul, said little had changed in South Korea and that workers were not concerned.
Meas Ny, a social development researcher, said that while the threat of conflict was low, the government should nevertheless be prepared for the worst.
“We need to have a plan for an urgent situation to transport out workers when needed,” he said.
“Workers pay taxes to the government so the government should do more to provide services in case of emergency.”
