President Lee Jae-myung, on a state visit to the Philippines, said in a summit with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the 3rd that "the two countries will become valued partners who will firmly navigate this turbulent era of geopolitical uncertainty and global technology competition."
In his opening remarks at the South Korea–Philippines summit held at Malacañang Palace in Manila on the afternoon of the first day of his state visit, Lee said, "The geographical distance between our two countries is close, but the emotional distance between our peoples is much closer."
He continued, "People-to-people exchanges between the two countries reached 2 million last year. I heard that among foreign visitors to the Philippines last year, Koreans ranked first. Korea's love for the Philippines is well known," adding, "Because of this deep historical bond and strong friendship, the future of our cooperation is very bright."
The summit coincided with the 77th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Lee said, "Since establishing relations in 1949, the two countries have developed cooperative ties in various fields, including trade and investment, the defense industry, infrastructure, and development cooperation," adding, "Now, based on the partnership built over 77 years, we stand at the threshold of further broadening the horizons of cooperation. Future promising fields where our two countries can work together—such as artificial intelligence and digital, eco-friendly energy, shipbuilding, and the cultural industry—are opening up wide."
He also said, "In this process, our peoples should meet more often and maximize the potential of cooperation," adding, "I hope our governments will strengthen institutional support so that our peoples can exchange more actively and stay more safely."
The Philippines was also the first and largest Asian participant in the Korean War. Lee said, "In the Korean War, young soldiers of the Philippines were the first among Asian countries to be dispatched and fought, shedding blood, to help protect the Republic of Korea," adding, "I extend my respect and gratitude to our Philippine veterans who fought together, at the cost of their lives, for the freedom and peace of the Republic of Korea."
Marcos said, "We know well that our bilateral ties have their roots in sacrifice, but we also know that today we are advancing toward the values of freedom, peace and prosperity," adding, "We are now moving toward a broader strategic partnership."
He continued, "From the Korean War to the strategic partnership, our bilateral ties have been based on a long history," adding, "Through today's talks, I look forward to further promoting our shared values based on mutual respect, understanding and cooperation."
He also expressed affection for Korean culture. Marcos said, "The Philippines cherishes Korean culture. Cultural exchanges based on shared values, such as K-pop and K-dramas, are taking place," adding, "Filipinos hold much gratitude and goodwill toward the people of the Republic of Korea."
The talks will discuss ways to expand the foundation of cooperation from existing areas such as defense industry, infrastructure and trade to future promising industries including nuclear power, shipbuilding and critical minerals. After the talks, a document exchange ceremony and a joint press announcement are scheduled.