South Korea and Philippines Forge Strategic Partnership to Enhance Cooperation

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. have announced the establishment of a strategic partnership aimed at boosting collaboration in security, economy, energy, and other key areas. This agreement was made during a summit in Manila, marking the first significant elevation of diplomatic ties since the two nations established relations 75 years ago, according to Yoon’s office and Yonhap news agency.

“The establishment of this strategic partnership opens a new chapter in South Korea-Philippines relations,” Yoon stated during a joint press conference.

The Philippines was the first Southeast Asian nation to establish diplomatic ties with South Korea in 1949 and sent the largest contingent of troops—7,420 soldiers—during the Korean War in 1950.

During their discussions, the two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in the defense sector, particularly regarding the third phase of the Philippines’ military modernization program. South Korea has previously supplied the Philippines with FA-50 light attack aircraft, warships, and missiles.

Additionally, the coast guards of both countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on maritime security cooperation, focusing on combating transnational crimes, information sharing, and joint search-and-rescue operations.

Yoon and Marcos also committed to increasing trade and investment by ratifying a bilateral free trade agreement signed in September 2023. They discussed major infrastructure projects in the Philippines and collaboration in new areas such as nuclear energy, digital transformation, and the supply chain for critical minerals.

To support these initiatives, South Korea has pledged around $2 billion from its Economic Development Cooperation Fund for projects including the Laguna Lakeshore Road Network and a bridge connecting the central Philippine islands of Panay, Guimaras, and Negros.

In a significant development, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and the Philippine government signed an MOU for a feasibility study on the long-closed Bataan nuclear power plant to assess its safety for potential operation. The plant was completed in 1986 but was never activated due to safety concerns following the Chernobyl disaster.

The leaders also discussed enhancing people-to-people exchanges and improving the employment permit system to create better working conditions for Filipinos in South Korea. Last year, around 1.45 million South Koreans visited the Philippines, making them the largest group of foreign tourists, while approximately 97,000 Filipinos are employed in South Korea.

Recently, around 100 Filipino home helpers were recruited in a pilot project in Seoul to assist with childcare and household tasks.

In light of North Korea’s evolving missile threats and China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea, Yoon and Marcos agreed to strengthen security cooperation. Marcos expressed support for Yoon’s unification initiative aimed at achieving a denuclearized Korean Peninsula and committed to working with South Korea on North Korea’s denuclearization.

“The two countries condemned the recent unprecedented surge in North Korea’s ballistic missile launches and its rhetoric regarding potential nuclear weapon use,” the joint declaration stated, urging North Korea to comply with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The leaders expressed shared concerns over actions in the South China Sea that undermine the rules-based international order and threaten peace and prosperity in the region.