KOREA BULLETIN The official publication of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea
FROM
THE
JANUARY 2015
AMBASSADOR‘S
LEE Hyuk, Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary
With the entire country still feeling the graciousness of Pope Francis, who visited the Philippines from January 15-19, I would like to greet all of you a blessed and optimistic 2015! There is much to be thankful for last year, particularly in the last quarter. For one, the Philippine economy continued to grow at a phenomenal rate, buoyed in part by foreign direct investments. I am proud to say that some Korean firms contributed to this growth, which will hopefully be sustained in the years to come. For instance, the turnover of the Angat Hydropower Plant was finally formally concluded by the end of October. It signaled a new era of sustainable management and upgrading of the Angat Dam, a project that is perceived to be the answer to some of the energy concerns of the Philippines, especially with the anticipated shortages this year. Korean Water Resources Corporation or K-Water, which is the new manager of the dam, will play a crucial role in the effort of the Philippines to maintain its power infrastructure. A week later, the Batangas Plant of Sunjin Philippines Corporation was inaugurated. Sunjin has been in the Philippines since 1997, when it established its first foreign facility in Bulacan. Since then, it has become a major producer and distributor of animal feeds. Cooperation and coexistence with the Filipinos allowed the company to flourish and for its Filipino clients to enjoy the product of continuing research and development. I am pleased that Korean technology is help-
ing this sector of the Philippine economy by providing jobs and promoting best practices in the production of animal feeds. This, in turn, facilitates the growth of the business that further fuels the country’s economic engine. The economy, of course, was the focus of the Conference on Envisioning the Future of Partnership Between Korea and the Philippines within the ASEAN, which was held on November 5. This event was part of the preparations for the 2014 ASEANRepublic of Korea Commemorative Summit, which was held on December 11-12 in Busan. The summit further elevated Korea-ASEAN relations to new heights, which is relevant to the Philippines, being a founding member of the ASEAN. With close ties binding Korea and the Philippines, it is imperative for our countries to work more closely together in the near future. Potentially, our nations can develop the closest relations, not only because of physical proximity, but because of the many things that we have in common. These include a capable and well-educated people, high regard for family values, and shared aspirations to become more prosperous. Thus, the planned integration of the ASEAN necessitates a heightened state of a deeper cooperation. The conference was the perfect forum for assessing and exploring the direction that our two nations must take vis-à-vis the ASEAN Community. Another thing to be grateful for was the conclusion of the humanitarian mission conducted
by the joint Philippines-Korea Araw contingent in the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda. It must be remembered that after Yolanda ravaged Leyte, Samar, and their neighbors on November 8, 2013, the entire international community responded swiftly, with Korea providing monetary assistance as well as logistical support. The Korean government deployed its troops for its first and largest peacetime operation. As I saw them off on December 22 – more than a year after they first arrived, the longest humanitarian mission among all other countries that operated in the Yolanda-affected areas – I reminded them about how important it was that they worked with their Filipino counterparts, that they exhibited team spirit, in rebuilding the devastated communities, because by doing so, they built invariable bonds of friendship, not only with the Philippine military, but most importantly with the people themselves. Finally, in celebration of life and the deep bonds between Korea and the Philippines, two events were held in November. The first was the 23rd Filipino-Korean Cultural Exchange Festival. When this cultural exchange festival was conceived over two decades ago, there were high hopes that our people could become much closer. Those hopes were not unfounded. And when we talk of an “exchange,” it denotes a twoway street. So as Filipinos have embraced the Korean way, many Koreans, in turn, have been going to the Philippines either as
KOREA BULLETIN
DESK
tourists or as investors. There are even communities both here in Metro Manila and in the provinces where Koreans have chosen to live as residents. For me, there is no better indication of a people’s hospitality than hosting another people and adopting them as part of society. Then on November 22, Hi Korea, Annyeong ASEAN was held to celebrate the KoreaASEAN Commemorative Summit that was to be held in Busan on December 11-12. It was also a commemoration of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Korea that started 65 years ago, in the aftermath of the Korean War where Filipino soldiers played a crucial role. Since then, Korea has been striving to let its traditions and practices be known to the rest of the world, in order to foster amity and understanding with the rest of the world. Cultural events such as these are very important in maintaining friendly relations between and among nations. It is a relationship that has extended from political and economic cooperation to the assimilation of cultural influences. This cannot be more evident than in the pervasiveness of Korean pop culture in the lives of Filipinos. And so, apart from the growing popularity of Korean consumer products and services, I am delighted to note that Hallyu or the Korean wave continues to make a big splash on Philippine soil. With all these blessings, I am hopeful that 2015 will be an even better year as far as PhilippinesKorea relations are concerned. Mabuhay tayong lahat!
1