Philippine defense minister calls South Korea a reliable partner
In Seoul, South Korea, Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro said that South Korea is a reliable partner for Manila in modernizing its armed forces. The Philippines seeks to expand defense cooperation with Seoul, from equipment procurement to joint production and shipbuilding, Korea Herald reports.
Teodoro arrived in Seoul to take part in the annual Seoul Defense Dialogue security forum organized by South Korea’s Ministry of Defense. This year, the event brought together about 1,000 officials and experts from 67 countries and international organizations.
Joint production and shipbuilding
According to Teodoro, the countries are strategically aligned, and the Philippine side highly values the quality, affordability and after-sales service of Korean defense equipment. He said that nearly all new frigates and corvettes of the Philippine Navy are made in Korea. Manila has also ordered another 12 FA-50 aircraft in the latest version.
The minister said that the Philippines and South Korea are discussing the development of joint shipbuilding capabilities in the Philippines, where Korean companies already have a presence. One of the first projects for joint production could be a logistics support ship for the Philippine Navy. According to him, another vessel is to be launched in October.
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Teodoro called joint production the next stage of defense cooperation, alongside training, exchanges, confidence-building measures and military exercises. He also said that the purpose of the visit is to lay the foundation for sustainable mutually beneficial cooperation in the defense industry and to strengthen supply chain resilience.
South China Sea security
During separate talks with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, Teodoro discussed bilateral defense cooperation, regional security and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. He stressed the importance of this sea route for South Korea’s trade and supply chains, as it connects Northeast Asia with the Strait of Malacca, the Indian Ocean, the Persian Gulf and Europe.
Teodoro also said that China claims about 90% of the waters in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. In 2016, an arbitral tribunal considering the Philippines’ case under the convention ruled that China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to resources beyond the maritime zones provided for by the convention. Beijing rejected the ruling.
In Teodoro’s view, South Korea can contribute to freedom of navigation not through direct military involvement, but by strengthening the capabilities of countries that defend maritime rights. He added that he understands Seoul’s security constraints due to tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
