PH, Korea vow to uphold rules-based order amid geopolitical uncertainty

The Philippines and the Republic of Korea on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the rules-based order amid geopolitical developments in the region.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong'” Marcos Jr. said this during his joint press conference with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the President’s Hall in Malacañang.

“President Lee and I likewise exchanged views on regional and international issues such as the South China Sea and the Korean Peninsula,” Marcos said.

“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 added. 

In his bilateral meeting with President Lee, the President said their discussions covered several areas, including defense and security, maritime cooperation, economic and development cooperation, and of course 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,” he said.

He also expressed appreciation for the Republic of Korea’s invaluable assistance and contributions to the following: 

• The modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and strengthening of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG);
• The investments that help revived the shipbuilding industry and strengthen the country’s role in the semiconductor value chain;
• Infrastructure projects such as the Panguil Bay Bridge in Northern Mindanao, among others;
• Development programs in health, agricultural mechanization, energy, and the use of
• artificial intelligence (AI); and
• The protection of the rights and welfare of the over 70,000 Filipinos living and working in the Republic of Korea.

MOUs to boost bilateral cooperation

The two countries also inked the following agreements during President Lee’s state visit:

• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Digital Cooperation; 
• MOU between the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the ROK on Technology, Digitalization, and Innovation Program;
• Amendment Number 2 to the Implementing Arrangement (IA) between the Department of National Defense (DND) of the Republic of the Philippines and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration of the ROK Concerning the Procurement of Certain Defense Materials;
• MOU on Cooperation in the Field of Patriots and Veterans Affairs between the DND of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs of the ROK;
• MOU between the Department of Agriculture (DA) of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs of the ROK on Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture;
• MOU between the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Resources of the ROK on Trade, Investment, and Economic Cooperation;
• MOU between the DTI of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Intellectual Property of the ROK for Reinforced Cooperation in the Field of Intellectual Property;
• MOU on Cooperation on the Special Program in Foreign Language in Philippine Schools between the Department of Education (DepEd) of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Education of the ROK;
• MOU on Cultural Cooperation between the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) of the Republic of the Philippines and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of the ROK; and 
• MOU between the Philippine National Police (PNP) of the Republic of the Philippines and the Korean National Police Agency of the ROK on Police Cooperation.

— JMA, GMA Integrated News