Seoul (VNA) – Senior defence officials of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and the Philippines discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in defence and weapon industry at their meeting in Seoul on September 15.
The RoK’s Vice Defence Minister Lee Doo-hee and his Philippine counterpart Irineo Cruz Espino shared their opinions on the regional security situation and exchanged views on measures to expand their collaboration through combined training and personnel exchange, according to the Korean Ministry of National Defence.
Lee thanked Espino for Manila's decision to acquire 12 Korean FA-50 light attack fighters and requested the country's support for Korean defence firms seeking to take part in military modernisation projects in the Philippines.
In response, Espino said the RoK’s weapon systems have helped modernise the Philippines' military and agreed on building mutually beneficial ties in the arms industry.
The meeting came just days after the defence chiefs of the two countries met on the margins of a security forum hosted by Seoul's defence ministry last week and agreed to expand bilateral defence cooperation under a strategic partnership established last year./.
RoK, Philippines advance strategic partnership
President of the Republic of Korea (RoK) Lee Jae Myung and his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr. discussed expanding trade and investment based on the bilateral free trade agreement, broadening the mutually beneficial cooperation, including Korean companies' involvement in the Philippines' infrastructure projects, such as maritime bridges, railways, and shipbuilding.
