Philippines and Korea at 75: A past remembered, a future forged
About a 40-minute drive from Seoul, in the City of Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, stands a monument erected by the Korean Ministry of National Defense in 1974 dedicated to the valiant soldiers of the Philippine Expeditionary Task Force to Korea (PEFTOK). The PEFTOK, a 7,420-strong contingent of combat forces, was deployed in 1950 by the Philippine government to help defend freedom and democracy in the Korean Peninsula.
Depicted on the imposing monument are bas-reliefs of the Korean people rising from the depravities of war and in the front portion of the pagoda body can be seen illustrations of the folk traditions of the Philippines. This imposing monument to those who fought courageously in the Korean War forever cements the shared sacrifices between our two countries.
In one of his columns for the Manila Bulletin in 2018, the late Philippine President Fidel Valdez Ramos, himself a Korean War veteran and whose uniform is on display at the War Memorial of Korea, wrote that in response to the United Nation’s call for assistance, the Philippines decided to send troops to the Korean Peninsula, “despite the fact that contributing a significant part of our Armed Forces was inopportune at that time,” referring to the postWorld War II reconstruction period that the Philippines was then facing.
The Philippines involvement in the building of the fledging Republic of
Korea, however, dates back even earlier, as one of the member countries of the U.N. Temporary Commission on Korea (UNTCOK) overseeing elections, governance preparations, and the establishment of a national assembly.
More than seven decades after the Philippines became the fifth nation to recognize the Republic of Korea and formally establishing diplomatic relations on March 3, 1949, the symbols of our long-standing ties are no longer depicted in grand monuments but in other manifestations of close collaboration and partnership.
The relations between our countries are reflected in the robust engagements in various areas of cooperation. In terms of infrastructure development, Korea is one of the Philippines’ most active partners in the “Build Better More” program of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos. Jr. Future-oriented projects are in process or have recently been completed like the Samar Pacific Coastal Road Project, a critical undertaking for the Visayas region.
In addition, there are ongoing projects such as the Panguil Bay Bridge Project in Northern Mindanao, Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation undertakings in Central Luzon, and the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges, a critical connectivity project linking major islands in the middle of the country. There are likewise plans for new partnerships in green transportation, aviation facilities, energy and digitalization.
On the trade front, the signing of the Philippines-Korea Free Trade Agreement in 2023 and which is expected to enter into force this year provides the impetus for future engagement in emerging economic areas, namely, green technology, creative industries, health, pharmaceuticals, bioengineering, critical minerals, e-vehicles, digitalization and energy.
The close political, defense, and security relations we enjoy stem from our being like-minded partners manifested in our common commitment to democracy, respect for human rights, and a rules-based international order.
This continues to serve us in good stead as we navigate a world where threats to stability and security including on the Korean Peninsula and the West Philippine Sea undermine efforts to build a free, peaceful, and prosperous region. To further strengthen a growing ecosystem of partnership, new bilateral mechanisms on maritime cooperation, science and technology, and fisheries complement our joint efforts for more active engagement.
As our nascent bilateral relations arose from a spirit of kinship and sacrifice during the Korean War, so too are our future relations buoyed by the strength of our dynamic people-to-people ties. The Philippines’ just launched a new movement for transformative governance called “Bagong Pilipinas” (New Philippines). We look forward to having our Korean friends and partners join us on this exciting journey as we work towards a strategic partnership in the next chapter of our relations.