DFA chief to visit Mongolia, South Korea this August

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo is set to embark on an official visit to Mongolia and South Korea this August.

Manalo was invited to visit Mongolia by the country's foreign minister, Battsetseg Batmunkh, to commemorate the 15th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Mongolia, the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Friday.

The DFA chief will visit the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar from August 4 to 6. 

Manalo will convene the Philippines-Mongolia Policy Consultations with Mongolian Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh to review bilateral relations between the two countries and explore further cooperation.

The Philippines and Mongolia established diplomatic relations 50 years ago.

Manalo will next embark on a three-day visit to South Korea from August 6 to 9, where he is expected to meet with the country's foreign minister, Cho Tae-yul.

Both countries' top diplomats will hold a bilateral meeting that will cover topics such as security, economic and development cooperation, as well as people-to-people ties. 

They are also expected to exchange views on regional cooperation and international issues.

The bilateral meeting will also include a discussion on the elevation of the bilateral relations between the Philippines and South Korea, which have spanned 75 years.

The Philippines was the fifth state to recognize the Republic of Korea and the first Association of Southeast Asian Nations nation to establish diplomatic relations with it.