DUTERTE BEGINS S. KOREA VISIT
President begins 3-day visit with meeting with Filipino community
President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday, June 3, kicked off his three-day official visit to the Repubic of Korea by meeting with the Filipino community.
Ambassador Raul Hernandez, who welcomed the President and his delegation, said the Filipino community is “very excited to meet the President.
“You know, the Filipino community here in South Korea is solidly behind the President and in his campaign against corruption, against drugs, and against criminality,” Hernandez said.
The President took a commercial flight and arrived at the Incheon International Airport at 4:57 am (Seoul time) Sunday.
He was accompanied by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr., Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Peña, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, and Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Bong Go.
On Monday, a Malacañang press statement said the President will lay a wreath at the Seoul National Cemetery to honor the fallen soldiers, leaders, and heroes of South Korea.
He will then proceed to Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House), the official residence of South Korea President Moon Jae-in for a bilateral meeting.
The two leaders will also witness the signing of four agreements, including a loan agreement for the Cebu International Container Port project.
Moon is scheduled to host dinner for Duterte at the State Guest House.
On Tuesday, June 5, the President will attend a forum hosted by the Korean business community, where he is expected to promote the Philippines to prospective investors.
Duterte will cap off his Official Visit by gracing the Philippine Food Festival at E-Mart, one of the biggest supermarket chains in South Korea. Philippine farm products will be on display at the festival.
Hernandez said South Korea is the seventh largest trading partner of the Philippines, with trade estimated at $10.6 billion.
Korea is also the Philippines’ fifth largest source of Official Development Assistance (ODA), having granted $570 million in loans and grants last year.
South Korea is also the top tourist source of the Philippines. In 2017 alone, about 1.6 million South Koreans visited the Philippines.