Seoul's Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-hwa said the bilateral relations between South Korea and the Philippines “are reaching new heights” and vowed to enhance the strategic partnership between the two nations.
“Our bilateral relations are reaching new heights. We expect more high-level visits, and we hope to elevate our bilateral partnership to a ‘Strategic Partnership.’ We will not stop at rhetoric but will push ahead to expand and deepen substantive cooperation in various areas, including maritime security,” said Lee during a luncheon with the Philippine media on Dec. 5.
South Korea's Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-hwa (Photo from KCC Philippines)
He condemned the bombing at the Mindanao State University on Dec. 3, saying “we remain deeply concerned. We believe that violence, especially against innocent civilians, can never be tolerated under any circumstances.”
“As the Philippines mourns the tragic loss of lives, we stand in solidarity with the government and people of the Philippines and extend our deepest condolences to the victims and their families,” he said.
Lee assumed the position as South Korea’s new ambassador to the Philippines this year and said “during that time, I was struck, deeply struck, by how much Korean culture is received by Filipinos. From K-pop, Korean telenovela to Korean food, I am impressed by the Filipinos’ love for Korean culture.”
“I was Ambassador for Public Diplomacy before coming to the Philippines and I always thought that Korea should have a sense of responsibility for the love and interest that we’ve received,” he said.
South Korea topped the list of countries with the most number of foreign visitors to the Philippines, he said.
“In many of my meetings with Korean visitors and the leaders of the 50 thousand-strong Korean community in the Philippines, I emphasize the need to understand and respect Filipino culture. For Korea, the Philippines is a ‘blood-brother’ friend who came to help us during the Korean War. And we never forget that,” he said.
The Philippines sent troops to help South Korea during the Korean War which lasted from 1950 to 1953.
According to Lee, “Filipinos’ affection for Korean culture is perhaps the most important foundation to further solidify our friendship, as Korea and the Philippines look forward to the 75th anniversary of our diplomatic ties next year.”
“Under the banner of Indo-Pacific Strategy, our government is trying to take on a stronger role and responsibility in upholding and enhancing a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. In doing so, we accord priority to fostering close partnership with our friends, including the Philippines, who share core values, such as freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law,” he said.
About the modernization of the Philippine Armed Forces, he said, “there is no other friend who has more experience and track record for cooperation in this area. Korea is the most well-prepared and ready partner.”
South Korea and the Philippines signed a Free Trade Agreement in September and Lee said, “Korea will ratify the agreement soon, and I’ve been assured by the Philippine Senate to do the same soon.”
“With this win-win agreement, our two countries’ trade and investment are set to increase in the coming years. In this context, Korea strongly supports the Philippine government’s efforts to improve its ease of doing business environment,” he added.
“As we speak, the climate change conference COP28 is taking place in Dubai. President Yoon Suk Yeol proposed a Carbon-Free Alliance during the UN General Assembly. Korea can be a good partner in the Philippines’ pursuit of renewable energy. We hope that there will be more progress in the two countries’ collaboration in high-efficiency clean energy sources such as nuclear power and hydrogen technology. And we also look to intensify cooperation in critical minerals,” said Lee.
Lee also said people-to-people exchanges between South Korea and the Philippines “will continue to grow.”
The Korean Visa Application Center, which processes Korean visa applications, opened in September and receives about 800 to 1,000 visa applicants every day from Filipinos.
“And the number of Korean visitors to the Philippines is expected to reach the pre-pandemic level of 2 million people,” the ambassador said.
He added, “As we move forward, I want to seek your cooperation in making 2024 a milestone year for Korea and the Philippines. There will be many events held by the Embassy and our Cultural Center. I ask for your interest and support in bringing these news to the Filipinos thereby acting as a bridge between our people and countries.”