Philippines–South Korea relations

Bilateral relations between South Korea and the Philippines were established on March 3, 1949 upon the recognition of Republic of Korea as a sovereign state by the Philippines. The Philippines was the fifth state to recognize the Republic of Korea and the first ASEAN country to establish relations with the new nation.[1][2]

As of 2009, there were 45,000 Filipinos residing in South Korea.[3] In 2011, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade conducted a census and found that there were more than 90,000 South Koreans living in the Philippines, a fall of 16% from 2009 after a period of rapid growth in the population in the preceding decade.[4][5][6]

President Park Geun-hye and President Benigno Aquino III in Cheong Wa Dae

South Korea is the sixth biggest trading partner of the Philippines, while the Philippines is the third most attractive Southeast Asian country for South Korean investors in 2011.[7] South Korea also provides the biggest tourist market for the Philippines. In 2011, Koreans topped the list of tourists in the Philippines, followed by Japanese and Americans.[8]

Military relations between the two countries started during the Korean War when the Philippine government sent troops to enforce the United Nations campaign against the communist coalition of North Korea and China.

South Korea is an active arms donor and supplier for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

They have donated numerous military hardware to the Philippines in the past, such as a number of F-5A/B fighter jets for the Philippine Air Force. These planes have since been decommissioned, but not before seeing ample use in the latter's domestic military operations against communist and Muslim separatist insurgents. In addition to this, South Korea had also donated a number of T-41 trainer planes.

In 2014, South Korea donated the ROKS Chungju, a Pohang-class corvette, to the Philippine Navy. She was handed over, refitted, and commissioned as the BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39) on August 5, 2019.[9][10]

The South Korean government also actively fulfills contracts for the Philippines for a variety of military hardware. These range from small arms, armored tactical vehicles, missile frigates, to multirole fighters.

In 2017, South Korea delivered the last batch of the 12 FA-50 Fighting Eagle multirole fighters ordered by the Philippines.[11]

On October 16, 2018, Hyundai Heavy Industries laid down and began construction on BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), the first missile frigate of her class and one of two that had been placed on order by the Philippine government. She was launched on May 23, 2019 and commissioned in May of the following year. Laying down and construction of the next missile frigate, BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), also began on May 23, 2019. She was launched on November 8, 2019 and is expected to be commissioned some time in October 2020.[12]

In July 2020, it was reported that a former ambassador of the Philippines to South Korea was included in the Interpol's Red Notice list. The ambassador submitted his resignation on March 16, 2020 after allegations of sexual harassment of a South Korean woman in December 2019 in Seoul.[13]

• Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea
• Filipinos in Korea
• Koreans in the Philippines
• South Korean television dramas in the Philippines
• Taft–Katsura Agreement
• Root–Takahira Agreement
• Mutual Defense Treaty (United States–Philippines)
  • Philippines–United States Visiting Forces Agreement
• Mutual Defense Treaty (United States–South Korea)
  • United States–South Korea Status of Forces Agreement
• Reserve Officers' Training Corps
  • Philippine ROTC
  • Korean Republic ROTC
• Death of Jee Ick-Joo