South Korean, Philippine presidents agree to advance ties in AI, energy, defense

ISTANBUL

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on Tuesday to strengthen bilateral ties in an array of sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI), nuclear energy, and defense.

Marcos hosted Lee in Manila for talks as the Philippines holds this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with Seoul pursuing closer ties with the region.

During the meeting, Lee told Marcos of the importance of expanding bilateral ties beyond trade and investment into new fields amid a shifting international order, according to Seoul-based Yonhap News.

"The two countries have developed cooperative relations in various areas, including trade, investment, the defense industry, infrastructure, and development and now stand on the threshold of expanding the scope of cooperation," Lee said.

"Promising areas, including AI, digital technology, green energy, shipbuilding, and the culture industry, are fields where both countries can work together," he added.

South Korea is a key economic partner of the Philippines, with a bilateral free trade agreement that came into force in 2024.

In a joint press statement, Lee said both nations agreed to strengthen practical collaboration in the fields of nuclear energy and critical minerals.

"The two countries will be valuable partners in tackling challenges amid an era of geopolitical uncertainty and intense global technological competition," he said.

For his part, Marcos said the two sides concluded several agreements, including in the fields of “defense materials procurement, veterans affairs, agriculture, trade, investment and economic cooperation, intellectual property, and digital cooperation.”

“I express once again my heartfelt thanks to President Lee and his delegation for this very fruitful visit,” Marcos was quoted by the Philippine News Agency as saying.

To deepen ties, the two countries signed nine MOUs covering AI, defense, transnational crime, and cultural exchange.

The two countries signed 10 MOUs aimed at enhancing cooperation in fields such as AI, the defense sector, efforts against transnational crime, and cultural exchanges.

They also signed an amended defense procurement deal, enabling more South Korean firms to secure contracts with the Philippine government.

Additionally, seven further MOUs covering shipbuilding, nuclear energy, food, and medical equipment are anticipated to be signed during a bilateral business forum scheduled for Wednesday.