From being brothers fighting for peace and democracy during the Korean War, relations between the Philippines and South Korea have come a long way.
After over 70 years, the two are determined to elevate these historic ties into a "strategic" partnership -- one that creates more opportunities for both Koreans and Filipinos to prosper together, hopefully, as soon as 2024.
"We are now trying to establish strategic partnership in the future and we hope to see the conclusion of such establishment in the year 2024 at the latest," Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Deputy Director-General for ASEAN and Southeast Asian Affairs Kim Dong-bae said in a recent sit-down interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The governments, Kim said, are working on the language of the document, and once finalized, both the South Korean and Filipino people could expect a "much systematic and tangible cooperation" between the two states.
But even before this, Seoul and Manila have already had a handful of engagements in the past years -- "robust relations extending across a wide range of sectors and fields" as Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega calls it.
For one, South Korea is among Manila's largest development partners, with its total contribution as of 2020 already reaching USD2.1 billion.
In fact, a framework agreement allowing Manila to access up to USD3 billion of official development assistance (ODA) from 2022 to 2026 is due to be signed after the two sides exchanged a final draft last September.
The two have also concluded the negotiations of a free trade agreement and are now waiting for the signing and ratification, a subject no less than President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol are expected to discuss in their inaugural meeting this week.
Read more: SoKor-PH over 70: Turning decades-old ties to opportunities | Philippine News Agency (pna.gov.ph)