Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul (right) on Aug. 7 shakes hands with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo at Government Complex-Seoul in the capital’s Jongno-gu District. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
By Park Hye Ri
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has agreed to raise bilateral relations this year with the Philippines.
The ministry on Aug. 7 said Minister Cho Tae-yul agreed on this that morning in talks with visiting Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo at Government Complex-Seoul in the capital’s Jongno-gu District.
“The Philippines was the first Southeast Asian country to form relations with Korea and the first in Asia to send troops for the Korean War, as well as sending the most soldiers (7,420) of any Asian country,” Minister Cho said. “Let us keep elevating our ties based on strong solidarity and trust as we mark this year the 75th anniversary of bilateral ties.”
The two ministers agreed on close cooperation to upgrade bilateral relations within this year to reflect the expansion of cooperation in future-oriented sectors such as the defense industry, maritime affairs, infrastructure, agriculture, development and energy.
They also decided to hold in November the third Philippines-ROK (Republic of Korea) Maritime Dialogue, which has emerged as a platform for bilateral marine ties, in Incheon. In their free trade agreement signed in September last year, the two countries agreed on striving for the accord’s swift ratification and effectuation so that the people and businesses of both sides can enjoy the benefits.
On resolving the rice shortage in the Philippines, Minister Cho said, “We will help boost Philippine rice productivity through rice donations at the level of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three (Korea, Japan and China) and construction of infrastructure including multipurpose dams and mechanization of agriculture.”
Secretary Manalo thanked Korea for such support and pledged active backing for the ongoing setup of an industrial complex for Korean agricultural machinery in the Philippines.
Minister Cho also pledged assistance for new demand areas in the Southeast Asian country such as the launch of a smart mass transit system and digitalization of the public sector. He also asked for the Philippine government’s extra interest and support to ensure that Koreans, who last year made up the largest foreign contingent of visitors to the archipelago (1.45 million), can safely travel and stay there.
To mark the 35th anniversary of Korea-ASEAN dialogue, both ministers agreed to work closely together to have Korea and ASEAN form a comprehensive strategic partnership and for Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, to successfully host next year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit.
hrhr@korea.kr
