The Senate on Monday adopted a resolution recognizing the enduring friendship and cooperation between the two countries amid the celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Philippines. 

In a plenary session, all senators agreed to become co-authors of Senate Resolution 946, which was introduced by Senator Win Gatchalian. 

The chamber recognized that the Philippines has been an active supporter of the inter-Korean peace process and reconciliation efforts over the years.  

The Philippines was the fifth country to recognize the Republic of Korea since its inauguration in 1949.

The Philippines deployed 7,420 soldiers to South Korea during the war in the 1950s, further cementing its relationship with the latter. In turn, South Korea has become a significant defense and security partner for the Philippines—playing a key role in modernizing the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) such as supplying essential military equipment and logistical support.

As of 2020, South Korea has contributed $2. billion to the Philippine economy. 

South Korea ranks fourth in bilateral trade with the Philippines with $15.45 billion and sixth in total approved investments at $90.62 million in 2022. 

The Philippines and South Korea signed a free trade agreement (FTA)  on 7 September last year. 

Senate Resolution 946 stated “The Philippines and South Korea have launched new platforms for dialogue on harnessing blue economy as well as in other areas of cooperation on key marine and maritime issues, all of which are paramount considerations for the Philippines as an archipelagic state.

“Both countries have continuously collaborated in the area of agriculture through smart agriculture missions, to promote smart farming and agriculture mechanization, as well as explore possible areas of investments and best practices sharing,” the resolution added.

Phl-SoKor shared values, ties

In his co-sponsorship speech, Senate Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva honored South Korea for its contribution to the country’s economy, culture, and education.

“At the core of this strong partnership between our two nations is our shared values, our enduring commitment to democracy, and our strong people-to-people ties that date back to the inauguration of South Korea and perhaps even earlier,”  he said. 

Villanueva said the core of the strong Philippines-South Korean partnership is “our shared values, our enduring commitment to democracy, and our strong people-to-people ties that date back to the inauguration of South Korea and perhaps even earlier.”

Meanwhile, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, co-sponsoring the measure, highlighted that this year 2024 marks a significant milestone in the long-standing history of friendship and collaboration between the two nations since the establishment of bilateral relations on 3 March 1949. 

Legarda added that “academic exchanges” play a crucial role in fostering a deeper understanding of the Philippines and its relationship with other countries.

“[As] we celebrate this momentous occasion this year, let us reaffirm our commitment to further deepen our diplomatic relations and explore new avenues of cooperation,” she added. 

75th Phl-SoKor diplomatic relations

Also, Legarda said the celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and South Korea is timely after the Senate honored the contributions of Korean diplomat and former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, two weeks ago.

Gatchalian, who sponsored the resolution, said the continuing mutual cooperation and friendship between the Philippines and South Korea have contributed to the promotion of diplomatic relations and growth across various areas. 

“The collaboration between our countries which started in defense has since extended to trade and investment, maritime affairs, and people-to-people exchange, among others,” he added. 

Gatchalian cited that South Korea has also supplied the Philippine Air Force with FA-50 multirole jet fighters and the Philippine Navy with its first two missile frigates. 

“In the realm of defense, our journey of cooperation has been one of mutual respect and shared goals,” he added. 

As of June 2022, Gatchalian said the Philippine Economic Zone Authority has registered 251 South Korean companies, channeling nearly P90 billion in investments across various economic zones in the Philippines. 

These enterprises collectively employ about 45,000 Filipino workers, he added, contributing significantly to the local job market, and have yielded export revenues totaling 1.1 billion US Dollars,  as of August 2022. 

Gatchalian noted the Philippines and South Korea have embarked on innovative efforts, aimed at harnessing the potential of the blue economy.

Senator Pia Cayetano expressed her deep support for the continued diplomatic relations of the country with South Korea.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III underscores the value of the relationship between the Philippine and South Korean governments.

“The friendship has evolved from focused military cooperation to a broader partnership, encompassing political, security, socio-cultural, economic and developmental aspects,” Pimentel said.

At the plenary session, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, together with other senators, handed over a copy of Senate Resolution 946 to the South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-hwa. 

“Since diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea were established on March 3, 1949, our bilateral ties continue to grow and flourish, encompassing broad areas of cooperation, such as in political, economic, socio-cultural spheres and more specifically, defense,” Zubiri said during.

Zubiri said the Philippines considers the relationship with South Korea as one of the strongest and one of the most comprehensive in the Asia Pacific Region. 

The Senate leader said the country “is proud to commemorate” the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea