Philippines, South Korea hold talks to boost defense relations

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines and South Korea are looking at further boosting bilateral cooperation, particularly on defense cooperation, in response to common regional security challenges.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. met with Minister Ahn Gyu-Back of South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense on Monday on the sidelines of the Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD) 2025.

Ahn welcomed Teodoro and expressed appreciation for the Philippines’ active participation in the annual defense dialogue.

The Department of National Defense (DND) said both sides explored avenues to further deepen cooperation in response to common regional security challenges.

Discussions focused on enhancing collaboration in logistics, technological exchange and defense industry cooperation, under the framework of the 2015 Phl-South Korea Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Defense.

The DND said the meeting highlighted the enduring defense partnership between the Philippines and Korea, rooted in the shared sacrifices of Filipino soldiers during the Korean War and further reinforced by this year’s commemoration of its 75th anniversary.

Teodoro and Ahn also underscored the importance of cultural and educational exchanges, along with people-to-people ties, as vital pillars of the bilateral relationship.

The defense secretary extended an official invitation to Ahn to visit the Philippines, reaffirming Manila’s commitment to advancing defense cooperation, strengthening regional security and sustaining strategic engagement with its long-standing partner.

Also at SDD 2025, Tedooro met with South Africa’s Minister of Defense and Military Veterans, Angelina Motshekga, to discuss ongoing efforts to formalize defense cooperation between the Philippines and South Africa through a Memorandum of Agreement on Cooperative Activities in the Field of Defense, the first such agreement between the Philippines and an African country.

The DND said Teodoro expounded on potential areas of cooperation between the two countries, such as military medicine and safety of seafarers.

Both sides likewise reaffirmed their commitment to supporting international peace and security and advancing multilateral cooperation.

China rocket debris

Meanwhile, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) issued yesterday an alert for debris, after China’s launch of another rocket yesterday morning.

The PhilSA confirmed yesterday that China had launched its Long March 7A rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Wenchang, Hainan at 10 a.m. yesterday.

PhilSA said debris from the rocket launch was expected to fall within the identified drop zones of “approximately 58 NM (nautical miles) away from Dalupiri island in offshore Cagayan province; 37 NM away from Burgos, Ilocos Norte; 92 NM away from Camiguin Norte, Cagayan province and 79 NM from Santa Ana, Cagayan.”

The agency said it disclosed the details of the rocket drop zone through a notice to airmen and disseminated a pre-launch report to relevant government agencies and authorities prior to the launch. — Ric Sapnu, Rainier Allan Ronda, EJ Macababbad