10 March 2024, Seoul-The Philippine Embassy in Seoul marked the start of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties with the Republic of Korea with a launch reception, highlighting both nations' shared sacrifices and deep cooperation across various fields since 1949. The reception was held on 05 March 2024 with guests from the Korean government, private sector, diplomatic corps, and other international partners.

Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega underscored that the long-standing relationship goes way back before the establishment of formal relations on March 3, 1949, sharing the story of early exchanges such as that of Moon Soon-deuk, a well-known figure in Korean merchant maritime annals, who over two centuries ago in 1801 learned the Filipino language and served as the first interpreter for Filipinos who were shipwrecked off the coast of Jeju Island.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega invited those present to experience commemorative events and activities throughout the 75th anniversary year which will continue to draw inspiration from our dynamic people-to-people ties-a shared affinity that pre-dates Filipinos' fascination with the Hallyu Wave and our Korean friends' love for the Philippines' welcoming tropical isles.

Guest-of-Honor MOFA Director General for ASEAN Kim Dong-bae conveyed that the next 75 years of PH-ROK relations will be anchored on a more profound and strategic thrust. He also informed the guests that both sides "expect the elevation of our bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership in the months ahead, not years." He also expressed appreciation for the Philippine Embassy's projects to foster mutual understanding through food and the media, and highlighted that the concept of 'jeong'or warm feeling of attachment is one of the many shared values between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea.

H.E. Ban Ki-Moon, President and Chair of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), and 8th Secretary General of the UN General Assembly was the night's special guest. He said he felt compelled to attend the reception due to his very successful recent meetings in the Philippines advocating for global climate resiliency with HE President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., President Masatsugu Asakawa of the Asian Development Bank, several ministers and Senators including Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore and Climate Champion Loren Legarda, and many members of the diplomatic corps in Manila last week. During his speech, H.E. Ban recalled the valiant sacrifice of the 7,420 Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) soldiers who fought together with Korean soldiers during the 1950s Korean War. "I cannot imagine the bravery of those young Filipinos-many of whom probably could not find Korea on a map before-coming all the way to Korea in defense of freedom," he said.

Guests also enjoyed watching a highlight reel showcasing more than seven decades of long-standing and dynamic ties, along with a special message from Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique A. Manalo who stated, "as the Pearl of the Orient and the Land of the Morning Calm celebrate the 75th year milestone, I look forward to new areas of cooperation for the mutual benefit of our two countries and our peoples."

The Philippine Embassy also provided guests with a video preview of its year-long activities to celebrate the 75th anniversary.

The guests enjoyed Filipino favorites such as chicken adobo, sinigang, and mango desserts and took home Filipino food products and fresh pineapples as part of the reception's gift box. To celebrate South Korea being the number one source of inbound tourist arrivals to the Philippines in 2023, travel partner JinAir raffled two roundtrip tickets to the Philippines.

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul will celebrate the diamond jubilee of our relations throughout the year through projects and initiatives that will continue to strengthen our political, economic, cultural, and people-to-people ties and further elevate the partnership between the Philippines and Korea. We invite the public to follow our official pages for more details on activities throughout this milestone year. END

#PHKR75