Philippines-South Korea sign 4 agreements during Duterte visit

BUSAN, South Korea — The Philippines and South Korea have signed four agreements and a joint statement on a proposed free trade deal to further enhance their bilateral ties.

President Rodrigo Duterte and South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday witnessed the signing of an agreement on social security, the implementation program of a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation, and a joint statement on the early achievement package of the negotiations on the proposed free trade deal.

Two other agreements on education and fisheries were also signed on the sidelines of Duterte's visit here but were not among the documents inked during a ceremony held after his meeting with Moon.

In a recent interview, South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-Man said the agreement on social security would benefit tens and thousands of Filipino workers here.

There are about 58,000 Filipinos in South Korea based on latest government data.

The cooperation on education, meanwhile, is expected to satisfy the demand of Filipinos who want to learn about Korea's language and culture and to expand existing education facilities. The fisheries deal, Han said, would enable the Philippines to use Korean technology to develop its fishery resources.

The implementation program on tourism cooperation seeks to introduce joint programs and activities that will bolster two-way tourism promotion and align tourism efforts between the two countries.

The document, which is valid until 2024, also aims to facilitate deeper and meaningful interactions between Filipinos and Koreans, and strengthen overall cooperation on tourist safety, security and quality assurance.

The Tourism department recorded 1,624,251 arrivals from Korea in 2018, equivalent to 22.78 percent of the 7.1 million tourists who visited the Philippines that year.

The joint statement on the early achievement package of the negotiations on free trade agreement, meanwhile, highlighted the two countries' resolve to pursue a trade deal. Officials said an agreement, which would reduce the tariffs for some Philippine agricultural and industrial products, may be signed next year.