Cebu, Philippines- The Philippines assured South Korea that it is strengthening security measures to sustain its 15-year run as the largest tourism market.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco met Thursday, Jan. 29, with officials from South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on the sidelines of the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026 in Cebu City.

The meeting focused on expanding air connectivity and addressing issues affecting tourism.

The Korean delegation was led by Vice Minister Kim Dae Hyun, who discussed potential areas of collaboration to support continued travel growth between the two countries.

Frasco underscored the importance of South Korean visitors to local businesses and workers, emphasizing the government’s commitment to tourist safety and security.

She said the Philippines takes travel advisories seriously, noting that such alerts are often linked to isolated incidents, and reiterated the government’s firm position on protecting the welfare of foreign visitors.

To improve support for Korean tourists, the Department of Tourism has expanded its Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection program by providing Korean language training to security personnel.

The initiative, launched in partnership with the Korean Cultural Center, aims to improve communication with Korean travelers in key destinations, including Cebu, Boracay, Palawan, Davao, Bohol, and Clark.

The effort complements the Tourism Assistance Call Center, which also has a Korean-speaking agent to respond to urgent concerns from visitors.