President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr and South Korean President Yoon Seuk Yeol witness the exchange of agreements at the Malacañang Palace on October 07, 2024. Yummie Dingdinng, PPA pool MANILA — The Philippines and South Korea signed a maritime cooperation agreement on Monday to protect their interests and to preserve order and safety in the seas of the Asia-Pacific.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between their countries’ coast guards in Malacañang.

“To strengthen understanding, mutual trust and confidence and for the purpose of promotion, preservation and protection of our mutual maritime interest including maritime order and safety in the Asia Pacific region, we have signed an MOU between the Philippine Coast Guard and Korean coast guard on maritime cooperation,” Marcos Jr. said.

The Filipino leader made no mention of China and its aggression in the West Philippine Sea, but he earlier noted that the “geopolitical environment is only becoming more complex” in the region.

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“We must work together to achieve prosperity for our peoples and to promote a rules-based order governed by international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS and the binding 2016 Arbitral Award,” Marcos Jr. said in a bilateral meeting before the signing of the agreements.

The Marcos Jr. administration has been seeking support from allies against China’s continued incursions in Manila’s exclusive economic zone.

The government earlier increased the number of Philippine bases that American troops could access in the country and signed a reciprocal access agreement with Japan to allow Japanese forces to train in the Philippines and vice versa. 

The Philippines has also been crafting military pacts with other countries like Vietnam, Australia, and France.

Manila and Seoul also signed a memorandum of understanding to launch a feasibility study of the revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.

“This will carry out a thorough feasibility study to continue progress on the BNPP which we envision to contribute to energy security in the country,” Marcos Jr., referring to the billions-worth but unused nuclear facility built during his father’s presidency.

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The two countries inked deals “on the economic innovation partnership program” to create a “framework for cooperation between our countries for the advancement of national regional and urban development in the Philippines,” and an agreement to “promote cooperation and the establishment of supply chains and critical raw materials.”

Manila and Seoul agreed to “continue to strengthen our infrastructure and development cooperation” through loan agreements and through the promotion of tourism and culture. 

Last year, the Philippines and South Korea signed a free trade agreement on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The deal is “expected to remove tariffs on most products from the two countries, opening the door to rapid growth in bilateral trade,” according to information from the Philippine Embassy in Seoul.

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