The House of Representatives on Thursday welcomed the forthcoming state visit of President Lee Jae Myung of the Republic of Korea to the Philippines from 3 to 4 March, calling it a reaffirmation of the two countries’ strategic partnership and longstanding friendship.
President Lee’s trip marks his first visit to the Philippines since assuming office in June 2025. Lawmakers said the visit is expected to further strengthen cooperation across political, economic, defense and people-to-people ties, particularly as the Philippines chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2026.
Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III described the visit as “a clear and welcome sign of the strength and maturity of the partnership between our two countries.”
"The Philippines values its strategic partnership with the Republic of Korea. Our relationship has been built over decades — through shared sacrifice, growing trade, strong defense cooperation, and deep people-to-people ties. President Lee’s visit sends a strong message that we intend to move this partnership forward in a meaningful way,” said Speaker Dy.
Dy said both countries share democratic values and a commitment to international law and a rules-based order.
Dy added that the Philippines and Korea "share common principles — democracy, respect for international law, and a commitment to a rules-based order. But beyond these principles, what matters is how our cooperation improves the lives of our people. We look forward to expanding collaboration in trade, innovation, security, infrastructure, and exchanges between our citizens."
He noted that bilateral relations are rooted in history, particularly the Philippines’ participation in the Korean War through the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea. Since then, ties have evolved into a comprehensive partnership spanning defense modernization, trade and investment, infrastructure development, cultural exchanges and humanitarian cooperation.
Foreign Affairs Committee Chairperson Rep. Maria Rachel J. Arenas also welcomed the visit, highlighting its importance for parliamentary diplomacy and ASEAN-Republic of Korea relations.
“President Lee’s State Visit comes at a pivotal time as the Philippines chairs ASEAN. It offers an opportunity to deepen ASEAN’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Korea and to advance cooperation on maritime security, digital transformation, climate action, and economic development,” Rep. Arenas said.
She also commended President Lee for his leadership and commitment to regional stability.
“We commend President Lee Jae Myung for his steadfast commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula and constructive engagement with Southeast Asia. The House of Representatives looks forward to working closely with our counterparts in the Korean National Assembly to further strengthen legislative exchanges and cooperation for the benefit of our peoples,” she added.
Arenas pointed out that South Korea has been a key partner in the Philippines’ defense modernization, disaster response, infrastructure development and trade expansion. She cited Korean assistance to typhoon-affected communities, strong tourism flows and growing investments as indicators of deepening ties.
The House expressed hope that the visit would also open new areas of collaboration, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, green growth, maritime cooperation and supply chain resilience, which align with ASEAN’s future-oriented agenda.
“The Philippines and the Republic of Korea have built a partnership that is forward-looking and grounded in mutual respect. We are confident that this visit will further strengthen that foundation and open new opportunities for both our peoples,” Speaker Dy concluded.