MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and South Korea are elevating their “partnership in maritime security to a higher level” as they mark 75 years of diplomatic relations this year, South Korean Ambassador to Manila Lee Sang-hwa said on Friday, September 20.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a bilateral security conference, Lee said he expects South Korea and the Philippines to touch on a wide range of topics — from the blue economy to coast guard cooperation — when the two countries meet in Seoul for a November 2024 maritime dialogue.
In a keynote speech during the forum, Lee noted that South Korea only holds regular maritime dialogues with the Philippines among the countries in Southeast Asia.
“Having the next one in November…is a good indication of which direction we are moving ahead,” he told reporters.
The Philippines and South Korea enjoy good ties — particularly in defense and maritime security. Some of the Philippines’ newest and most modern military equipment, including its Jose Rizal-class frigates and FA-50PH jets, are made in South Korea. They have tight economic ties, too, with a free trade agreement between the two countries expected to be enacted soon.
At the forum organized by the Manila-based Stratbase ADR Institute and the Korea Foundation, security experts from Manila and Seoul floated the possibility of a bilateral military agreement. A Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) or a Status of the Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) dictates the terms of which the armed forces of two countries can visit another, typically for joint drills or disaster response.
The Philippines only has two such agreements in place — the Visiting Forces Agreement with its treaty-ally the United States, and a SOVFA with Australia. Manila recently signed an RAA with Japan, but this has yet to be approved by the Japanese Diet and the Philippine Senate.
“I think [it’s] on the table. So let’s see how it goes…. From the Philippine side, I think it’s natural to expect something like that. The Philippines has been expanding its horizons with key like-minded countries having such mechanism in place as the country having a very close relationship for long years, and gaining importance in terms of security cooperation…. Korea [comes] to the mind in that respect,” Lee said.
While stressing that he did not “know of” talks for South Korea to be part of joint sails in the West Philippine Sea, Lee said that if Manila is “eager to consider expanding its partnership with other key allies and partners…Korea can be one of the top candidates in its maritime cooperation activities.”
Since late 2023, the West Philippine Sea, a vast area in the South China Sea that includes the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), has been host to several bilateral or multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activities (MCAs) or joint sails.
Thus far, the Philippine Navy has conducted maritime drills and joint sails with the United States, Japan, Australia, France, and Canada. Of those five countries, only the US is a treaty-ally while Australia and Japan are strategic parters.
In August 2023, the South Korean embassy in Manila released a rare statement to criticize China over its harassment of a Philippine mission to the West Philippine Sea. Like the Philippines, South Korea often finds itself in the middle of superpower competition between China and the US.
Meanwhile, Lee also said he expects “full support from our Filipino friends” during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-South Korea Summit in Laos come early October 2024.
“We do expect the constructive discussion on how to address the increasing security threat coming from North Korea in the context of the Korean Peninsula…. We do have a lot in common between our two countries so…we do expect full support from our Filipino friends and we will do the same from our end,” he added. – Rappler.com