(UPDATE) THE Philippines and South Korea on Tuesday signed 10 agreements covering digital innovation, economic and development cooperation, defense, agriculture, trade, education, culture and law enforcement.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung witnessed the exchange and presentation of signed agreements following their bilateral meeting in Malacañang.
During their meeting, Marcos said he and Lee covered a wide range of areas in their countries’ bilateral partnership, including defense and security, maritime cooperation, economic and development cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges.
“We agreed that we have made significant strides in advancing and deepening our bilateral cooperation towards the attainment of our mutually beneficial goals,” Marcos said during the joint press statement with Lee.
“And as we have just witnessed, we concluded a number of agreements in the fields of defense materials procurement, veterans affairs, agriculture, trade, investment and economic cooperation, intellectual property, digital cooperation, digitalization and innovation, Korean language training in schools, cultural cooperation, and police cooperation, which will sustain the momentum of the Philippines-Republic of Korea Strategic Partnership for the future,” he added.
Marcos said that both sides were working to enhance bilateral trade and investment and expressed optimism about realizing the full potential of the Free Trade Agreement to benefit both nations.
He also acknowledged the South Korea’s contributions to the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the strengthening of the Philippine Coast Guard.
Marcos also thanked South Korea for its role in reviving the shipbuilding industry and for strategic investments in the semiconductor value chain.
The president expressed appreciation to South Korea as well for its support for infrastructure projects such as the Panguil Bay Bridge in Northern Mindanao.
Additionally, Marcos noted South Korea’s significant contribution to development programs in health, agricultural mechanization, energy, and artificial intelligence, as well as the protection of the rights and welfare of over 70,000 Filipinos living and working in Korea.
Also during the meeting, Marcos exchanged views with Lee on regional and international issues, including the South China Sea and the Korean Peninsula.
“We both recognized the growing uncertainty in geopolitical developments, which is why we agreed on the need to firmly and consistently uphold a rules-based order governed by international law, including in the maritime domain,” he said.
Lee, accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Kim Hea Kyung, is in the country for a two-day state visit.
He kicked off his visit to the country by laying a wreath at the monument to the Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, at Rizal Park.
On Wednesday, he is scheduled to join Marcos at the Philippines-Korea Business Forum in Pasay City.
Lee’s visit coincides with the commemoration of the 77th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and South Korea, which was elevated to a strategic partnership in 2024.
This is the first state visit to the Philippines by the South Korean leader since the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries took effect on Dec. 31, 2024.
Marcos had earlier invited Lee to visit the Philippines during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea.
