Marilyn Cahatol

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attends a bilateral meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit 2025. Marcos invited Lee to visit the Philippines and help “promote a rules-based” order in the region. PPA Pool via Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761959544571G4kwl2qa8AIXVd1.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attends a bilateral meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit 2025. Marcos invited Lee to visit the Philippines and help “promote a rules-based” order in the region.<em> PPA Pool via Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span> GYEONGJU, South Korea — The Philippines and South Korea have agreed to strengthen cooperation on the shipbuilding and defense fronts after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit on Friday.</div><p>The two leaders acknowledged the close ties between Manila and Seoul with Marcos Jr. extending an invitation for Lee to visit the Philippines, while the South Korean leader expressed hopes for a higher level of cooperative bilateral ties.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/31/us-ph-launch-task-force-philippines-as-new-zealand-navy-ship-docks-in-manila-1845"><strong>US, PH launch ‘Task Force Philippines’ as New Zealand Navy ship docks in Manila<br/></strong></a></div><p>“The two leaders agreed to further strengthen strategic cooperation in the areas of defense industry, shipbuilding and infrastructure,” the Blue House said in a statement.</p><p>“They agreed to work closely together to facilitate the smooth operations of Korean companies in the Philippines,” the statement read.</p><p>The Malacañang and the Blue House have yet to release further details about the agreement, but the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries — one of South Korea’s shipbuilders — has revived the Subic Bay shipyard operations in 2022 after the Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. filed for bankruptcy in 2019.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/10/31/marcos-jr-to-ceos-philippines-open-ready-eager-to-do-business-1652"><strong>Marcos to CEOs: Philippines ‘open, ready, eager’ to do business</strong></a></div><p>In September 2025, Marcos Jr. attended the inauguration of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Philippines at the Subic shipyard in Zambales, saying that the South Korean facility is expected to employ around 4,300 Filipinos by 2030.</p><p>Lee also thanked Marcos for the creation of a police help desk for South Koreans in the Philippines, the Blue House said.</p><p>In May 2025, the Philippines’ Department of Tourism, Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine National Police, and Office of the President on tourist security agreed to train some 8,000 police officers in the Korean language in response to South Korea’s appeal for stronger anti-crime mechanisms to protect “alarming violent crimes targeting Korean nationals.&quot;</p><p>The Philippines has also opened 151-TOUR, a call center that has agents who speak Korean.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/10/31/marcos-urges-apec-leaders-to-revive-wto-s-appellate-body-dispute-mechanism-1235"><strong>Marcos urges APEC leaders to revive WTO’s Appellate Body, dispute mechanism</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/abyyAfEyyao?si=1HmvrmWmqEXxeeb1" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>The Philippines and South Korea have agreed to strengthen its cooperation on the shipbuilding and defense fronts after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit on Friday.</p>

The Philippines and South Korea have agreed to strengthen its cooperation on the shipbuilding and defense fronts after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit on Friday.

PH, South Korea to boost shipbuilding, defense ties after Marcos-Lee meet at APEC 2025

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PH, South Korea to boost shipbuilding, defense ties after Marcos-Lee meet at APEC 2025

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 01, 2025 10:12 AM PHT

|

Updated Nov 01, 2025 02:53 PM PHT

Read More:

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Lee Jae Myung

South Korea

APEC

shipbuilding

defense

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