Pnoy to visit Korea next month

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III will fly to Republic of South Korea next month for a two-day meeting with President Park Geun-hye, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

The DFA said President Aquino's State visit will be from Oct. 17 to Oct. 18 upon the invitation of President Park Geun-hye.

Aquino and  Park will hold their first summit meeting to discuss bilateral issues, particularly political, defense, economic, and development cooperation, and to exchange views on regional and international challenges, among others, the DFA added.

During the two-day visit, the President will also meet with the Korean business community to promote further trade and investment in the Philippines and interact with the Filipino community in Seoul.

The Philippines and Republic of Korea established relations on March 3, 1949.

During the Korean War in 1950, the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea joined the United Nations-led coalition in defending the freedom of the Korean people.

The Republic of Korea is among the Philippines’ leading partners in trade, investments and development cooperation.

The Republic of Korea remains the country’s top source of tourists reaching more than a million in 2012 or nearly a quarter of total tourist arrivals to the Philippines.