US Military In South Korea Gets Fake Evacuation Notice

U.S. Forces Korea received reports of an evacuation notice going around social media and was warned the message is fake, according to Stars and Stripes Thursday.

“U.S. Forces Korea did NOT issue this message,” said the command to Stars and Stripes, and they warn people not to click on links from the message if they receive it via text or on see it on Facebook or other social media.

The 8th United States Army, which is stationed in South Korea, posted a warning to soldiers on its Facebook about the fake noncombatant evacuation operation (NEO). A NEO is an evacuation order issued for the family members of service members and Department of Defense employees that serve in non-emergency roles.

“For anyone who has received notification of a NEO event today via email, text or social media be aware [U.S. Forces Korea] has not issued a NEO event at this time,” said the post.

This fake warning comes at a tense time for relations between the U.S. and North Korea. President Donald Trump issued a bold warning to North Korea in his United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly speech Tuesday.

“The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself and its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea. ‘Rocket Man’ is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime,” said Trump.

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho said that Trump sounded like a “dog barking” during the speech.

North Korea and the world have been locked in a tit for tat diplomatic and military exchange this year, with North Korea pushing the envelope on missile and nuclear weapons tests and the U.N. Security Council passing new economic sanctions on the country and posturing from Trump.

Last week the U.N. Security Council passed new sanctions on North Korea who responded by launching a ballistic missile that flew directly over Japan. This is the second time this year North Korea sailed a missile over Japan.

North Korea also conducted its sixth and largest nuclear weapon test earlier this month, and the Kim Jong Un’s regime claimed the weapon they tested was a hydrogen bomb.