PHL, South Korea ink agri, trade, tech deals during Duterte’s visit

The Philippines and South Korea on Monday signed agreements on agriculture, energy, trade, transportation, and science and technology during President Rodrigo Duterte's three-day official visit.

At the presidential Blue House in Seoul, Duterte and South Korean leader Moon Jae In witnessed the signing of the following agreements:

• a memorandum of understanding concerning cooperation in the field of transport between the Department of Transportation and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport;
• scientific and technological cooperation between the Department of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Science and ICT;
• trade and economic cooperation between the Department of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; and
• a memorandum of understanding for cooperation on the expansion of renewable energy deployment between the Department of National Defense and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

A loan agreement on the New Cebu International Container Port Project between the Philippine government and the Export-Import Bank of Korea was also signed.

A memorandum of understanding on agricultural cooperation, meanwhile, was signed by Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol and Acting Minister Kim Hyeon Soo of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs prior to the bilateral meeting at the Blue House.

"With the MOU on agricultural cooperation signed today, various activities are now being lined up, including technology transfer on mechanization and irrigation," Piñol said.

The signing of the deals comes as preparations are underway for the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year.

Duterte will end his official visit to South Korea on Tuesday. — BM, GMA News