Seoul, Republic of Korea — Philippine Ambassador-designate Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez presented the open copy of her Letters of Credence to Director General for Protocol Affairs Kwon Jae-hwan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 17 September 2025 marking the commencement of her official duties in the Republic of Korea.

During the meeting, Ambassador-designate Fernandez expressed gratitude for the warm welcome extended by the Korean government and looked forward to presenting her credentials to President Lee Jae Myung in the near future. For his part, Director General Kwon emphasized the value of the strategic partnership between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea, rooted in our shared sacrifice during the 1950s Korean War and shared values that bind both our countries. 

Ambassador-designate Fernandez expressed her commitment to work closely with the Korean government in advancing mutual interests and pursuing tangible outcomes in key areas such as trade and investment, defense and maritime cooperation, energy and innovation, people-to-people exchange, and regional peace and stability. She also conveyed appreciation to the Korean government for its support in establishing a Philippine Consulate General in Busan. The new post will strengthen consular services and support the growing Filipino community in the region, and serve to further strengthen PH and ROK economic and cultural linkages.

Ambassador-designate Fernandez also reaffirmed her readiness to contribute actively to both bilateral and multilateral cooperation as the Republic of Korea hosts the APEC Summit this October 2025 and the Philippines assumes the ASEAN Chairship in 2026. END