South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is planning to visit the country either this year or in the first half of 2024 to mark 75 years of strong bilateral ties between Manila and Seoul.
Newly-designated South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-Hwa disclosed this as he presented his credentials to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacanang yesterday.
Mr. Marcos, for his part, said he looks forward to meeting his South Korean counterpart at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in November.
“Of course, there are many other conferences and I hope that maybe in November when we go to the United States for the APEC, because I’m sure your President (Yeol) will attend, maybe we’ll have a chance to at least meet and have a bilateral meeting,” the President said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Marcos also met with Mexico’s newly-appointed ambassador to the Philippines, Daniel Hernandez Joseph.
Hernandez Joseph said both countries are the “connectors” between Asia and America due to the cultural closeness they share.
Lee underscored South Korea’s interest in “elevating the two countries’ relationship to strategic partnership” to improve different areas of interest such as security and defense cooperation, trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges.
The South Korean envoy also cited Seoul’s keen interest in energy cooperation, especially on the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.
“We presented, submitted our proposal for a joint feasibility study,” he said.
Mr. Marcos noted the potential to explore a bigger partnership with the Mexican government.
“Mexico and the Philippines are connectors between Asia and America, and through that role, there is so much we can do in trade, in culture, in science,” the ambassador said in reply.
Since 2020, the country’s total trade with Mexico has been steadily growing, reaching a total of $1.1 billion last year.
Mexico ranked as the 23rd trading partner of the Philippines, with ongoing applications for market access for bovine and pork meat, grapes, avocados, and citrus.
President Marcos also expressed gratitude to Mexico for taking care of Filipinos residing there.
As of February 2023, there are about 1,206 Filipinos in Mexico who are mainly craft and trade-related workers, technicians and associate professionals, and other industry professionals.
Hernandez Joseph also disclosed that Mexico’s national university is making an offering this year in the area of Filipino studies.
“It’s just the beginning, which again like I said, opens new opportunities for furthering the knowledge and exchange of each other today not only in history but who we are together and what we can do together today,” he said.
On April 14, the Philippines and Mexico celebrated the 70th anniversary of bilateral relations.