President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday held his first telephone conversation with President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea, reaffirming the strong and enduring Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

Lee assumed office on June 4, 2025.

During their conversation, Marcos conveyed his warm congratulations and expressed his full support for Lee’s administration.

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the Strategic Partnership, emphasizing cooperation in key areas such as trade and investment, defense and security, and people-to-people ties.

Marcos reiterated the Philippines’ appreciation for South Korea's longstanding support for the country’s development and advocacies.

The President took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of continued international support for the Philippines’ maritime interests and regional stability, in line with international law.

Marcos likewise expressed his eagerness to meet with the newly elected leader during the upcoming high-level events, such as the 2025 APEC Summit to be hosted by South Korea later this year. President Lee expressed support for deeper ASEAN-ROK engagements as the Philippines assumes ASEAN chairmanship in 2026.

The Philippines and the South Korea established diplomatic relations on March 3, 1949, marking 76 years of formal ties in 2025. Relations between the two countries were elevated through the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership on October 7, 2024, reflecting a shared commitment to enhance cooperation across key sectors, including political, security, economic, and socio-cultural.

In 2024, South Korea ranked as the Philippines’ fourth largest trading partner, fifth export destination, and fourth biggest import source, with total bilateral trade reaching $13.2 billion.

Philippine exports to South Korea were valued at $3.6 billion, while its imports totalled $9.6 billion.

In 2024, South Korea was the Philippines’ leading source of foreign tourists, making up 26.37 percent of total arrivals. Presidential News Desk