With North Korea warning it could not guarantee the safety of diplomatic personnel in Pyongyang in the event of hostilities on the peninsula, foreign embassies in Seoul took time to turn down the temperature over the weekend.

North Korea further ratcheted up tensions by warning diplomats there it could not guarantee their safety.

Under the Vienna Convention that governs diplomatic missions, host governments are required to assist in the evacuation of embassy staff from the country in the event of conflict.

Foreign envoys contacted over the weekend said this was the latest step in continuing bombast coming from Pyongyang that the U.S. poses a threat to it.

In response, the U.K. and U.S. embassies in Seoul updated travel advisories on Friday in an attempt to dial back tensions which have snowballed starting with a North Korean missile test in December, followed by United Nations sanctions on Pyongyang passed in March and concomitant military exercises on either side of the demilitarized zone.

North Korea has railed for weeks against the joint U.S. and South Korean military exercises taking place in South Korea and has expressed anger over tightened sanctions for a February nuclear test.

“The U.S. Embassy informs U.S. citizens that despite current political tensions with North Korea there is no specific information to suggest there are imminent threats to U.S. citizens or facilities in the Republic of Korea,” the U.S. Embassy in Korea said in a statement on its website Friday. “The Embassy has not changed its security posture and we have not recommended that U.S. citizens who reside in, or plan to visit, the Republic of Korea take special security precautions at this time.”

“Our statement on Friday was simply to affirm that the security situation here has not changed. For now we do not see any reason for people to change their travel plans. What we are seeing here is a lot of rhetoric,” said an official with the U.S. Embassy.

“You know Secretary (John) Kerry is coming on Friday. That is how nervous we are. That is the security situation. Think about it, the contrast between what the press is reporting and how we are reacting.”

The U.K. blunted the North Korean safety alarm in the statement it issued at the same time.

“We have no immediate plans to withdraw our embassy. In recent weeks, the North Korean government has raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula and the wider region through a series of strong public rhetoric,” the United Kingdom’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday. “Our overall assessment is that there is currently no immediate increased risk or danger to those living in or traveling to the DPRK as a result of these statements.”

By Philip Iglauer (ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)