PH to benefit from Korea's New Southern Policy
Published Dec 1, 2018 12:57 pm
By Jonathan Hicap
SEOUL - South Korea is eyeing better relations with the Philippines under its New Southern Policy (NSP) that aims to strengthen ties with the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India.
Chairman Kim Hyun-chul of South Korea’s Presidential Committee on New Southern Policy and presidential economic adviser, answers questions from Manila Bulletin and other ASEAN media in Seoul. (Photo by Jonathan Hicap/ MANILA BULLETIN)
South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced the NSP in November last year and in August this year, the Presidential Committee on New Southern Policy was created.
In an interview with the Manila Bulletin and other ASEAN media organized by the ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC), Kim Hyun-chul, chairman of the committee and presidential economic adviser, talked about the new policy and plans.
ASEAN is Korea’s second largest trading partner with US$95.24 billion in imports from Korea and $54 billion in exports to Korea including the Philippines importing $10.59 billion worth of trade from Korea and exporting $3.7 billion to Korea in 2017. ASEAN is also the recipient of $4.8 billion in investments from South Korea with the Philippines getting $217 million last year.
Kim told Manila Bulletin that the Philippines will benefit from the New Southern Policy under its three pillars: people, prosperity and peace.
“The cooperation of the Philippines with the South Korean government is all set out in the three key pillars of the New Southern Policy. In terms of people, there has been a discussion on the safety of Korean tourists in the Philippines. Also there is an ongoing discussion on the Employment Permit System as well,” he said.
He added that “under the pillar of prosperity, there are many Korean logistics businesses, film industry and manufacturing sectors that want to make investments in the Philippines, too. There are also issues of importation of agricultural products from the Philippines to Korea. Under peace, the purchase and selling of military equipment is also dealt with.
Kim also discussed the Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS), a government-to-government program with 16 nations including the Philippines that allows nationals to work in Korean manufacturing, construction, fish breeding, and agriculture and stockbreeding industries.
Philippine Ambassador to Korea Raul Hernandez told Manila Bulletin that they are still pursuing their goal to convince the Korean government to increase the age limit of EPS workers from the current 38 to 45 in order to allow Filipinos to work in South Korea longer.
“38 years old is too young to stop working as EPS worker. The Korean government, however, believes that by setting the age limit at 38 it will be able to give more young people from EPS sending countries a chance to work and live in Korea,” Hernandez said.
Of the total 28,100 Filipino workers in Korea, 25,405, or 90.4 percent, are EPS workers. There are about 57,000 Filipinos living in South Korea as of September 2018.
Kim explained that “it is not the intention of the South Korean government to set an age limit. We welcome older people and people from different walks of life. However, they have to take the Korean language test.”
“And to take the test, there is an age limit. When they come to Korea, it is very important that they take the test and have the basic skills of the Korean language. This is where the age limit comes in taking the test. The level required is the minimum level of basic survival language,” he added.
When asked if the number of EPS workers will be increased under the New South Policy, Kim said there will be an increase in scholastic exchanges instead.
“More ASEAN people are coming to Korea. However, we want foreign students, post graduate students, civil servants, professors and cultural artists to come to Korea. The New Southern Policy will expand those scholastic exchanges and that will be one of the main focus areas of the policy. So we want exchanges of diverse relationships, civil servants, workers… it could be students,” he said.
Chairman Kim Hyun-chul of South Korea’s Presidential Committee on New Southern Policy and presidential economic adviser, answers questions from Manila Bulletin and other ASEAN media in Seoul. (Photo by Jonathan Hicap/ MANILA BULLETIN)
South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced the NSP in November last year and in August this year, the Presidential Committee on New Southern Policy was created.
In an interview with the Manila Bulletin and other ASEAN media organized by the ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC), Kim Hyun-chul, chairman of the committee and presidential economic adviser, talked about the new policy and plans.
ASEAN is Korea’s second largest trading partner with US$95.24 billion in imports from Korea and $54 billion in exports to Korea including the Philippines importing $10.59 billion worth of trade from Korea and exporting $3.7 billion to Korea in 2017. ASEAN is also the recipient of $4.8 billion in investments from South Korea with the Philippines getting $217 million last year.
Kim told Manila Bulletin that the Philippines will benefit from the New Southern Policy under its three pillars: people, prosperity and peace.
“The cooperation of the Philippines with the South Korean government is all set out in the three key pillars of the New Southern Policy. In terms of people, there has been a discussion on the safety of Korean tourists in the Philippines. Also there is an ongoing discussion on the Employment Permit System as well,” he said.
He added that “under the pillar of prosperity, there are many Korean logistics businesses, film industry and manufacturing sectors that want to make investments in the Philippines, too. There are also issues of importation of agricultural products from the Philippines to Korea. Under peace, the purchase and selling of military equipment is also dealt with.
Kim also discussed the Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS), a government-to-government program with 16 nations including the Philippines that allows nationals to work in Korean manufacturing, construction, fish breeding, and agriculture and stockbreeding industries.
Philippine Ambassador to Korea Raul Hernandez told Manila Bulletin that they are still pursuing their goal to convince the Korean government to increase the age limit of EPS workers from the current 38 to 45 in order to allow Filipinos to work in South Korea longer.
“38 years old is too young to stop working as EPS worker. The Korean government, however, believes that by setting the age limit at 38 it will be able to give more young people from EPS sending countries a chance to work and live in Korea,” Hernandez said.
Of the total 28,100 Filipino workers in Korea, 25,405, or 90.4 percent, are EPS workers. There are about 57,000 Filipinos living in South Korea as of September 2018.
Kim explained that “it is not the intention of the South Korean government to set an age limit. We welcome older people and people from different walks of life. However, they have to take the Korean language test.”
“And to take the test, there is an age limit. When they come to Korea, it is very important that they take the test and have the basic skills of the Korean language. This is where the age limit comes in taking the test. The level required is the minimum level of basic survival language,” he added.
When asked if the number of EPS workers will be increased under the New South Policy, Kim said there will be an increase in scholastic exchanges instead.
“More ASEAN people are coming to Korea. However, we want foreign students, post graduate students, civil servants, professors and cultural artists to come to Korea. The New Southern Policy will expand those scholastic exchanges and that will be one of the main focus areas of the policy. So we want exchanges of diverse relationships, civil servants, workers… it could be students,” he said.