United Nation's humanitarian workers in North Korea have decided to stay put, despite Pyongyang's advice to consider evacuating.

UN Spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters on Friday that the UN staff in North Korea remained “engaged in their humanitarian and developmental work” within the communist state.

The spokesman also said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is deeply concerned at the rising tensions upon the Korean Peninsula.

Russia's ITAR-Tass news agency reports the UN is currently in discussions after North Korea advised diplomatic and humanitarian missions to leave the country.