The Philippines on Saturday ordered a temporary stop to the deployment of Filipino workers to South Korea amid rising tensions following an artillery strike by North Korea.
President Benigno Aquino told top labour officials and diplomats to assess the security situation immediately after Tuesday's attack on Yeonpyeong island in the Yellow Sea.
"The decision to hold the deployment of workers was a result of the government team's decision, upon the president's instructions, to assess the situation continually and take the corresponding action," deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte told reporters.
Valte said there are currently 46,000 Filipinos in South Korea, many of them working as labourers or in factories.
Two marines and two civilians were killed in the North Korean attack, and Seoul's military brass has vowed to avenge their deaths.
The Philippine foreign department said the attack was a "clear and flagrant violation of international law" and praised Seoul for exercising restraint.
"The Philippines calls for an end to provocative actions that raise tensions and adversely affect peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and in the Asia Pacific region," it said.
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