Thank you, Mr. Chair.
His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol, welcome,
Your Majesties,
Excellencies,
It has been a year since we welcomed the Republic of Korea’s (ROK) intention to become a Comprehensive Strategic Partner of ASEAN.
Today, we launch our Comprehensive Partnership with the ROK, which will now usher in a new era of cooperation between ASEAN and the ROK.
The Philippines looks to continuing collaborative efforts to promote peace and stability in the region, particularly through maritime safety, security, and the protection of our marine environments, and we welcome initiatives under the Joint Statement of the 24th ASEAN-ROK Summit on Cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
Allow me to reaffirm the Philippines’ strong and steadfast support for the ROK position for lasting peace, security, and stability in a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. We also welcome ROK’s efforts to promote peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula.
The “Audacious Initiative” and the “August 15 Unification Doctrine” are important efforts in this regard. We call upon the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to constructively respond and abide by the rule of international law.
Your Majesty,
Excellencies,
We welcome the ROK’s contributions to upskilling in our region. Through the ASEAN-ROK Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for ASEAN Mobility (TEAM) Project, I am certain that we will improve the quality of our TVET systems, as well as enhance its resilience and adaptability to technological advancements, digitalization, health emergencies, climate change, and other possible disruptions in the future.
Let us all work together to align TVET with Industry 4.0 to build a future-ready workforce that can navigate and thrive in the digital age.
Digital transformation also extends to health, and we encourage continued collaborative actions to optimize the use of digital health innovations to help improve health outcomes and in a wider sense, enhance regional resilience.
On trade, as we review and upgrade the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA), we must focus on strengthening our trade relations to ensure mutual growth and prosperity.
By enhancing cooperation in critical areas such as technology transfer, capacity building, and innovation, Korea can help ASEAN Member States bridge the technological gap and accelerate their industrial development.
The proposed upgraded AKFTA should not only facilitate greater market access, but also foster a more inclusive and dynamic economic partnership that will be to the benefit of all parties involved, including our micro, small, and medium enterprises, unlocking new opportunities for our businesses and our people.
Let me emphasize that innovation and entrepreneurship are crucial for long-term economic development.
We welcome the establishment of the ASEAN-Korea Industrial Innovation Centre (AKIIC) which will support industrial development in Member States through enhancing innovation capacity and expanding industrial cooperation.
It represents a significant step toward fostering industrial innovation and the advancement of industrial capabilities and economic resilience within our region.
We welcome further strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges through scholarships, workshops, and activities through relevant sectoral bodies, including the ASEAN-Korea Centre and the cultural centers in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, and Bangkok.
We also appreciate the ROK’s contribution to the expansion of scholarship programmes through the ASEAN-ROK “Higher Education for ASEAN Talents” (HEAT) scholarship.
And to end, let me assure Your Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Philippines’ continuing support both in ASEAN and in our joint undertakings in the future as we celebrate 75 years of vibrant bilateral relations.
Thank you.
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