PH, ROK Reaffirm Commitment to Elevate Relations to Strategic Level
16 December 2021 – Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. and Republic of Korea (ROK) Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong took time at the sidelines of the ASEAN-G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Liverpool, UK to meet and reaffirm their commitment to work together in elevating PH-ROK relations towards a Strategic Partnership.
On 12 December 2021, the two ministers noted the robust PH-ROK bilateral cooperation in various areas especially in defense, trade and investment, people-to-people exchanges, and in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Secretary Locsin thanked the ROK for being one of the first countries to extend humanitarian assistance to PH at the onset of the pandemic with its donation of masks, testing kits, and USD2.5M–worth of cold chain facilities and equipment. On 30 November 2021, the ROK donated 539,430 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to PH.
The two ministers agreed on the need to revive economic interaction amid the pandemic, and noted the entry under the Employment Permit System (EPS) of Filipino workers who contribute greatly to the labor force of small and medium-sized companies in South Korea. Before the pandemic, 85,000 Koreans lived, worked, and studied in the Philippines, while over 48,000 Filipinos found homes and careers in the ROK.
Secretary Locsin expressed optimism for the two countries’ bilateral trade outlook with the conclusion in October 2021 of the negotiations for a PH-ROK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) – which, once signed, will be only the second FTA of PH with a single country. He conveyed appreciation for ROK’s continuous Official Development Assistance (ODA) to PH.
The two ministers highlighted the importance of defense and security as well as maritime cooperation, given the great importance that PH, a maritime and littoral state, attaches to maritime issues, and ROK’s deep interest in sustainable oceans and fisheries management. ROK’s delivery of two guided missile-capable frigates built by the Hyundai Heavy Industries – the BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna – have substantially enhanced the Philippine Navy’s maritime domain awareness and deterrence capabilities.
Secretary Locsin welcomed the ROK’s initiative to deepen its engagement with countries in Southeast Asia under Korean President Moon Jae-in’s New Southern Policy Plus. The ministers likewise exchanged views on regional and international issues such as developments in the West Philippine Sea / South China Sea, North Korea, and candidatures in international organizations.
The meeting ended with Secretary Locsin reiterating his invitation for FM Chung to visit the Philippines. END