The Philippines on Friday, Dec. 27, said that its strategic partnership with South Korea will remain steadfast despite the ongoing political situation in the country.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in a statement said that Manila's ties with Seoul will stay the same although South Korea's president has been voted impeached by Korean lawmakers following his declaration of a short-lived martial law.
"With recent developments on the political challenges in the Republic of Korea, the Philippines is confident of Korea's ability to navigate the way forward through peaceful and constitutional means, reflecting the maturity and resiliency of its democracy," the DFA said.
Korean lawmakers voted to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol as he made a surprise declaration on Dec. 3 of martial law, which he lifted about six hours after. Yoon's move received much backlash even from his own allies in the parliament.
The Philippines believed that its relations with South Korea will continue to be good, especially that the two countries' Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is set to take effect between the end of the year.
According to the Korean embassy in Manila, the FTA, which is set to take effect on Dec. 24, "will unlock significant opportunities for both countries."
It will bolster the two countries' ties on trade and investment in industries such as agriculture, infrastructure, and energy.