South Korean Rep. Kim Jin-pyo, speaker of the National Assembly, visited the Korean War Memorial Pylon in Taguig and met with House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Kim is in the Philippines for a three-day official visit from July 23 to 25. This is the first visit by a National Assembly speaker in the Philippines in eight years since former speaker Chung Ui-hwa.
South Korean National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo at the wreath-laying ceremony at the Korean War Memorial Pylon in the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig on July 24 (Photos from KCC / National Assembly website)
Accompanied by his wife, Kim attended the wreath-laying ceremony at the Korean War Memorial Pylon in the Libingan ng mga Bayani that paid tribute to the members of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) who fought during the Korean War.
Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Potenciano Camba served as the military host to Kim.
“The Philippines dispatched the largest number (7,420 people) among ASEAN countries to the Korean War, and 112 people were killed,” said Kim.
The pylon contains the names of the 112 Filipino soldiers who died in the Korean War.
Camba thanked South Korea for dispatching the Araw Unit, a Korean disaster recovery team, when typhoon “Yolanda” hit the Philippines in 2013.
After the wreath-laying ceremony, Kim and the Korean delegation met Romualdez at the Women’s Legislators Lounge of the Batasang Pambansa Complex.
Romualdez presented Kim House Resolution No. 93 supporting South Korea in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement.
South Korean National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo (left) with House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on July 24 (Photos from KCC / National Assembly website)
Kim told Romualdez, “It is a pleasure to meet you again after meeting you in Jeju. Especially today, despite a busy schedule such as the State of the Nation Address being held, you warmly welcomed our delegation and expressed sympathy to Korea that suffered from flood damage.”
“The Philippines is our blood ally, having dispatched more than 7,000 troops during the Korean War, resulting in more than 100 casualties,” added Kim.
Kim and Romualdez discussed ways to expand cooperation between the two countries in various fields such as mineral processing, energy and defense, and support for South Korea’s bid to host the Busan Expo.
