PH, South Korea level up ties to strategic partnership

Metro Manila, Philippines– The Philippines and South Korea pledged to elevate their longstanding bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.

During their bilateral meeting in Malacañang on Monday, Oct. 7, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed his deep gratitude for South Korean President Yoon Seok Yool’s state visit, acknowledging the significant milestones the two countries have achieved since establishing diplomatic ties in 1949.

"Our bonds have continued to grow. Today, we have a robust partnership in a myriad of fields, including defense, security, maritime cooperation, trade, and people-to-people exchanges," Marcos said in his welcoming remarks.

He highlighted the need to solidify the partnership as the geopolitical environment becomes increasingly complex.

Marcos also reflected on the shared history, noting that the Philippines was the first Asian country to provide aid to South Korea during the Korean War in 1950.

"As we chart the future of our relations, it’s time to elevate the ties between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea to a strategic relationship," Marcos added.

The president also pointed out the importance of working together under international law and reinforcing commitments to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral award.

In his response, Yoon expressed his appreciation for the warm hospitality and acknowledged the significance of the historic milestone.

"Based on the special bond forged in blood during the Korean War, our two countries have closely cooperated over the past 75 years, and today we are elevating our relationship to a strategic partnership," he said.

Yoon noted the importance of enhancing cooperation in trade, security, digital technology, and energy. He added that these future-oriented sectors would play a crucial role in strengthening the strategic partnership.

"Today, we are elevating our relationship to a strategic partnership, which will bring our cooperation to a higher level," Yoon said.

This strategic partnership is expected to pave the way for deeper collaboration amid the evolving regional and global challenges. The leaders also witnessed the signing of six agreements, ranging from maritime cooperation to the economy, Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, and tourism.

Here is the list of the signed agreements:

+ memorandum of understanding between the Philippine Coast Guard and the Korea Coast Guard on maritime cooperation

+ memorandum of understanding on the Economic Innovation Partnership Program

+ memorandum of understanding for strategic cooperation on critical raw material supply chains

+ memorandum of understanding on the feasibility study of the Philippine Nuclear Power Plant

+ loan Agreement on the Samar Coastal Road II Project and the memorandum of understanding on the Laguna Lakeshore road network project phase I and the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island bridges project.

+ implementation program of the memorandum of understanding between the Department of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Korea for 2024-2029.