16-9-2023 (MANILA) President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. took a prominent role during the 43rd Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by calling on the regional organization to assert its centrality and commitment to universal multilateralism in response to China’s unilateral and assertive actions in the South China Sea.
President Marcos also championed key advocacies within ASEAN, including food and energy security, the potential of creative and digital economies, support for medium-scale business enterprises, and addressing climate change’s adverse effects. He engaged in several bilateral meetings with ASEAN leaders and their dialogue partners during the summit.
One of the notable meetings took place with the President of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Yoon Suk Yeol, where they discussed avenues for cooperation and expressed gratitude for Seoul’s generous assistance to Typhoon Egay victims. The two nations further solidified their longstanding partnership by signing a free trade agreement.
The history between the Philippines and South Korea is deeply rooted, with diplomatic relations dating back to March 3, 1949, when the Philippines became the fifth country to recognize the Republic of Korea. This relationship was tested during the Korean War when the Philippines deployed the Philippine Expeditionary Forces as part of the UN forces that defended the Republic of Korea against North Korean aggression.
Over the years, bilateral relations have evolved across various sectors, including economics, development, and notably, defense. South Korea has been a crucial military partner for the Philippines, providing assistance for territorial defense capacity-building efforts. This partnership led to the acquisition of FA-50 Golden Eagle squadrons and guided missiles by the Philippine Air Force from the ROK.
In November 2019, the Philippine Department of National Defense and the ROK’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation, streamlining Manila’s acquisition of defense materials from Korean companies. This MOU aimed to support the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization by focusing on major items like frigates, corvettes, anti-ship missiles, and potentially submarines, indicating that the relationship extended beyond commercial or trade transactions.
Their partnership has become a crucial security alliance, just short of a formal treaty. Both nations found common ground in their economic interests, leading to the signing of a free trade agreement.
Before attending the ASEAN summit in Jakarta, President Marcos expressed his commitment to a rules-based international order to prevent tensions in the South China Sea from escalating into an armed conflict. He voiced concern over actions violating international law, including the 1982 United Nations Conventions of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).
President Marcos also raised issues related to the use of Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels, as well as illegal fishing and militarization of reclaimed features in the South China Sea. He reaffirmed the Philippines’ support for freedom of navigation, overflight, and the rules-based international order in the region.
President Yoon urged ASEAN states to align their interests with the trilateral security partnership involving South Korea, the United States, and Japan, emphasizing its importance in countering China’s expansion in the South China Sea. This partnership supports Southeast Asian and Pacific Island nations in enhancing their maritime security capabilities.
During the ROK-ASEAN summit, a joint statement on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific was adopted, reflecting expanded security cooperation between the ROK and ASEAN. South Korea’s new regional strategy, the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI), offers strategic coordination with ASEAN member states in areas of national security and defense.
President Marcos welcomed the implementation of KASI by South Korea and looked forward to increased ASEAN-ROK cooperation. He also expressed appreciation for the U.S., ROK, and Japan trilateral security partnership’s role in upholding the rules-based international system and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
