Philippines, South Korea elevate ties to strategic partnership, deepen Coast Guard cooperation

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and South Korea have elevated their relations to a strategic partnership and agreed to boost maritime cooperation between the two countries' Coast Guard forces.

The agreement upgrading the Philippines and South Korea's ties were signed after talks between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in Malacañang Palace on Monday, October 7.

A strategic partnership is generally seen as the highest level of bilateral relations that two nations can have and signals nations' intent to develop long-term relations. The Philippines maintains these ties with Japan, Vietnam and, most recently, Australia.

In a joint press conference with Yoon, Marcos described the elevated ties between the two nations as taking place amid an "increasingly complex geopolitical and economic environment."

"We agreed that we have made significant strides in advancing and deepening our bilateral cooperation towards the attainment of our mutually beneficial goals," he said.

Besides discussions on defense, maritime and economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, both leaders also spoke about the West Philippine Sea and the geopolitical situation of the Korean Peninsula. The two leaders also agreed to uphold an international rules-based order, including on safety of navigation in the South China Sea.

Of the six new deals signed between the Philippines and South Korea after Yoon's talks with Marcos, one of the most important geopolitically may be a new memorandum of understanding that establishes closer cooperation between the Philippine Coast Guard and the Korean Coast Guard.

Marcos said the Coast Guard agreement was forged to "strengthen understanding, mutual trust, and confidence, and for the purpose of the promotion, preservation, and protection of our mutual maritime interests, including maritime order and safety in the Asia-Pacific region."

This year, escalating hostilities between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea have drawn repeated expressions of concern from South Korea over actions that heighten tensions in the disputed waters.

In August, Chinese vessels' interference with a humanitarian