Metro Manila, Philippines -The Philippines and South Korea signed 10 agreements aimed at expanding cooperation in defense, technology, trade, and cultural exchanges during the state visit of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed the agreements, which were signed and exchanged by officials of both governments in a ceremony at Malacañan Palace on Tuesday, March 3, saying they would help strengthen the growing partnership between Manila and Seoul.
“And as we have just witnessed, we have concluded a number of agreements in the fields of defense materials procurement, veterans affairs, agriculture, trade, investment and economic cooperation, intellectual property, digital cooperation, digitalization and innovation, Korean language training in schools, cultural cooperation, and police cooperation,” Marcos said during a joint press conference with Lee.
“These agreements will sustain the momentum of the Philippines–ROK Strategic Partnership for the future,” he added.
Both sides elevated their relations to a strategic partnership in 2024, opening the way for broader collaboration in key sectors such as security, economic development, and emerging technologies.
The deals were a memoranda of understanding on digital cooperation between the Department of Information and Communications Technology and South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT, as well as a program on technology, digitalization and innovation between the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development and South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The two sides also strengthened defense cooperation through an amended implementing arrangement on the procurement of defense materials between the Department of National Defense and South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, and a memorandum on cooperation in veterans affairs.
Other agreements cover agriculture, trade and investment, intellectual property protection, Korean language education in Philippine schools, cultural cooperation, and police collaboration between the Philippine National Police and the Korean National Police Agency.
Officials said the agreements are expected to deepen economic, security and people-to-people ties as both countries pursue closer collaboration in regional security, digital transformation and economic growth.
