EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC
OF THE PHILIPPINES


SEOUL REPUBLIC OF KOREA

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PHILIPPINES AND KOREA TO BOOST ECONOMIC, TRADE, AND ENERGY COOPERATION


Philippine Ambassador to the ROK Theresa Dizon-De Vega and Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy Director General Dr. Kim Jongchul. The Director General expressed his appreciation for the dynamic and vibrant trade relations between the Philippines and the ROK during Ambassador Dizon-De Vega’s tenure in South Korea.

17 March 2025, Seoul – Ambassador Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega welcomed Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy Director General Dr. Kim Jongchul to the Philippine Embassy on 13 March 2025 to discuss advancements on PH - ROK trade and economic relations. The Philippines and the Republic of Korea are working to enhance economic engagement in untapped and emerging areas of cooperation as among the priority areas of our strategic partnership.

Director General Kim highlighted the dynamic and mutually beneficial economic partnership between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea, and recognized coordination between counterparts as an important aspect of our vibrant economic relations.
 
In 2024, the Philippines signed and ratified a landmark Free Trade Agreement with the Republic of Korea which entered into force on 31 December 2024. The FTA is expected to boost the USD 10 billion dollars trade volume between both countries recorded in 2024 by creating new opportunities for businesses and consumers, while fostering strong and resilient supply chains. 

Aside from the FTA, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea also inked mutually beneficial agreements for Strategic Cooperation on Critical Raw Minerals Supply Chains and Trade, Economic, Energy Cooperation. END

The Philippines and the Republic of Korea agreed to boost economic, trade and energy cooperation by furthering close consultations between the Philippine Embassy in Seoul and officials from the ROK Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy. Joining the Ambassador and the Director General during the call are Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario of the Political and Economic Section, Commercial Counselor Charmaigne Mignon S. Yalong, Senior Trade Assistant Aija Jeon, and MOTIE Deputy Director Kang Hong Koo.

Other News


September 08, 2025
PHILIPPINE EMBASSY WELCOMES KDIS-DAP INTERNATIONAL SHUTTLE COURSE ON DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION DELEGATES

04 September 2025, Seoul – The Philippine Embassy in Seoul, led by Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Edwin Gil Q. Mendoza, welcomed Former Senator Francis Tolentino, local chief executives and national government officials participating in the International Shuttle Course (ISC) on Digital Transformation in the Public Sector program of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) and Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management (KDIS) on 02 September 2025. During their visit, the delegation were given a brief overview by Embassy officials of the relations between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea.  In his remarks, CDA a.i. Mendoza acknowledged the important role of local government units in strengthening engagement with other countries. “Diplomacy begins where our people live, in our towns, cities and provinces. It begins with our local government officials who build the trust and confidence of citizens every single day. In several cases, domestic policy informs foreign policy,” he said. Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario presented an overview of PH-ROK relations covering key aspects of bilateral relations and shared ROK’s best practices in digital transformation that may be applied by local government units in the Philippines. Former Senator Tolentino, Mission Leader of DAP-ISC, reaffirmed the outstanding relations between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea. During his term as the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator Tolentino provided instrumental support for the bilateral free trade agreement and defense procurement projects between both nations. As the proponent of the DAP Adaptive Governance and Innovation for Local Executives (AGILE) Program, the former Senator encouraged the delegates to continue working for a better and connected Philippines. Professor Hai-young Yun, Assistant Dean of External Relations of KDIS expressed appreciation for the support extended by the Embassy to its programs, stressing the important role the latter plays in helping delegates gain a deeper understanding of the multi-faceted relations between the Philippines and the ROK. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul continues to emphasize the importance of sub-national diplomacy by supporting capacity-building and knowledge-exchange activities such as DAP-ISC.  By focusing on digital transformation and innovation in governance, the DAP-ISC program harnesses ROK leadership in technology for public service delivery and helps local government units translate these lessons into context with strategies that will empower communities and make cities more efficient, responsive and future-ready. END

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PHILIPPINES ADVANCES REGIONAL COOPERATION AT APEC ENERGY MINISTERIAL IN BUSAN

Busan, Korea – The Philippine Embassy in Seoul joined the Department of Energy delegation led by Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara at the 15th APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting (EMM15) from 27-28 August 2025, where she reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to work with APEC partners in advancing clean energy, modernizing infrastructure, and building resilient systems for a sustainable and inclusive Asia-Pacific future. 

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31 August 2025, Jeju, South Korea — The Philippine Embassy in Seoul successfully held the 2025 Palarong Pinoy and Multicultural Family Day on 31 August 2025 at the Shimin Bokji Citizens Welfare Town Plaza in Jeju-si, South Korea. This vibrant event is part of the Embassy’s ongoing cultural diplomacy and community engagement efforts aimed at fostering unity and cultural pride among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Filipino marriage migrants, and multicultural families in South Korea.

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