Joma Sison-led leftist group salutes NoKor for ‘self-defense’ vs. US

The International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) chaired by National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) chief consultant Jose Maria Sison on Wednesday expressed its support for North Korea and its latest advances in weaponry, which included a hydrogen bomb and an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that can potentially reach US bases in Guam or Alaska.

"The ILPS firmly stands in solidarity with and vigorously supports the Workers’ Party of Korea, DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) and the Korean people in upholding and defending their national sovereignty, developing their socialist economy self-reliantly, building their capacity for self-defense, seeking the peaceful reunification of north and south Korea," a post on the NDFP website said.

The statement came three days after Pyongyang announced its "perfect success" in testing a hydrogen bomb with unprecedented nuclear power.

The ILPS described the Republic of South Korea and its defense minister as "puppets" in calling for  further deployment of US tactical nuclear weapons in the Korean Peninsula that were said to have provoked the DPRK's advances.

"We hold US imperialism and its south Korean puppets responsible for creating the extremely volatile situation in the Korean Peninsula at present," the statement read.

"We encourage the Korean people of north and south to aim and work for peaceful reunification and defeat all divisive schemes of US imperialism," it added.

The leftist group was referring to the beefed-up military defense exercises conducted in spite North Korea's threat of a "merciless" retaliatory strike.

"The DPRK has repeatedly asked the US to end these provocative and reckless military exercises held right at its doorstep in exchange for a moratorium on the DPRK’s missile testing but the US has stubbornly refused," the ILPS wrote.

There are approximately 65,000 Filipinos living and working in South Korea.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Sunday ordered the  the Philippine Embassy in Seoul to make sure that they are informed of contingency plans for repatriation in the event of conflict breaking out in the peninsula.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Monday remarked that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was "begging for war" and called for the  strongest possible measures to deter him. — Margaret Claire Layug/MDM, GMA News