PYONGYANG - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday asked foreigners living in Republic of Korea (ROK) to consider evacuation, the official KCNA news agency reported.

A spokesman for the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee called on all foreign organizations, companies and tourists in South Korea to prepare measures for evacuation in case of war.

"The situation on the Korean Peninsula is inching close to a thermonuclear war" due to the hostile actions of the United States and?ROK and their moves for a war against the DPRK, the spokesman said.

The current situation "is seriously affecting peace and security not only on the peninsula but in the rest of the Asia-Pacific," the spokesman said

The DPRK "does not want to see foreigners in South Korea (ROK)?fall victim to the war," he said.

According to the spokesman, the United States and ROK are watching for a chance to start a war against the DPRK as they have introduced weapons of mass destruction into South Korea.

The DPRK said Friday that the current question was not whether, but when a war would break out on the peninsula. Pyongyang has told foreign embassies to consider possible evacuation if tensions flare up.