Saffers stay cool in Korea

Some South Africans living in South Korea are not too worried about the war-talk from neighbouring North Korea.

"I don't feel threatened at all," said Gustaf Munro, an English teacher who two years ago was studying in peaceful Stellenbosch.

"But it is on my mind," he said.

North Korea will today commemorate the birth of its former leader Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un.

"I think that, after their celebrations, things will probably calm down," said Munro.

Despite the heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula, South Africans threw a big party in the university town of Ulsan on Saturday. Their Facebook events page said that about 300 attended.

Others attended internet sensation Psy's concert in Seoul.

There are no official statistics on how many South Africans are currently on the Korean Peninsula. The Facebook page of SAKorNet "which attempts to unite Saffers living in Korea" has 683 members.

Lavinia Africa, who lives in Jeollanam-do province, told The Times yesterday that she compiled a database of teachers in Korea for the South African embassy in 2010.

"We were about 1000 teachers but only about 400 e-mailed their contact details to me. I'm not sure whether [the number] declined or increased after 2010," Africa said.

Nini van der Merwe, who teaches English in Daegu, said she would take her lead from the Americans.

"They have a large military base in Daegu and they generally seem to be well informed about what exactly is going on," she said.

"If they leave, I'll probably scrape the money to buy a ticket home."

Munro said he was checking air fares but would probably go on holiday in Southeast Asia.

"The Koreans are super-relaxed. On more than one occasion I have asked my colleagues whether they think there is anything to be worried about, and they sort of laughed it off," said Van der Merwe. "For them it is part of life."

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation on Friday said it did not know how many South Africans are in South Korea.

Spokesman Clayson Monyela urged South Africans in foreign countries to register with it.