12 September 2023 - The Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Korea reinforced their robust bilateral relationship, engaging in discussions to enhance cooperation on consular, labor, and people-to-people concerns during the 5th Joint Consular Consultation Meeting held in Seoul on 12 September 2023.

Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Affairs Jesus S. Domingo led the Philippine delegation, while the ROK side was headed by the Director General for Consular Affairs and Safety Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jung Kang.

Both sides had an in-depth discussion on key areas of mutual concern, and expressed a desire to produce actionable results on the protection and safety of their nationals overseas, enhancement of visa and travel procedures, consular notification and access, promotion of labor rights and welfare, concerns of students and marriage migrants, and emergency preparedness, among others.

Views were exchanged on important issues faced by the Filipino community in South Korea. Ambassador Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega highlighted the concerns of the Filipino community in ROK, including matters impacting Filipinos in Korea across different sectors.

DFA Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Henry S. Bensurto Jr., noted the need to enhance protocols on consular notification and access to support each country's efforts to protect its nationals abroad.

Department of Migrant Workers' Assistant Secretary Mario Perpetuo Socorro T. Zinampan reiterated the need to work together on the protection and welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers in Korea, including those participating in the seasonal workers program.

Undersecretary Domingo stressed that the agreement to create various working groups to follow through on each sector's concerns represents a significant step towards tangible results in time for another milestone with the 75th anniversary of PHL-KOR diplomatic relations in 2024.

The first since 2017 and fifth overall, the PHL-KOR Joint Consular Consultation Meeting is a biannual forum to foster collaboration and address policy issues related to the rights and welfare of their nationals, visa and immigration procedures, labor rights protection, and people-to-people exchanges, with the goal of strengthening bilateral relations and facilitating greater cultural and economic interactions between the two countries.

Undersecretary Domingo and ROK Deputy Foreign Minister Hong Seokin with senior official members of their respective delegations likewise met on the occasion of the JCCM.

Joining Undersecretary Domingo as members of the Philippine delegation from Manila were Assistant Secretary Henry S. Bensurto Jr., Director Leilani S. Feliciano, Director Princess U. Tomas-Tayao, Director Querobine D. Laccay, Assistant Director Antonio Emmanuel R. Miranda, and Special Assistant Erika Henri R. Laudencia from the Department of Foreign Affairs; Assistant Secretaries Mario Perpetuo Socorro T. Zinampan and Levinson C. Alcantara, and Director Jainal T. Rasul from the Department of Migrant Workers; and Mr. Wilmer Karlo B. Pasague from the Department of Labor and Employment.

Philippine Ambassador to Korea H.E. Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega, Minister and Consul General Romulo Victor M. Israel, Jr., Third Secretary and Vice Consul Jilliane Joyce R. De Dumo-Cornista, Labor Attache Ma. Celeste M. Valderrama, Tourism Attache Maria Corazon Jorda-Apo and Tourism Marketing Officer Cherryl Anne Marie T. Navida of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul also joined as members of the Philippine delegation.END