Philippines, South Korea reaffirm naval defense cooperation

MANILA, Philippines — South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has reaffirmed the strong and growing naval defense cooperation between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea.

Officials of HD HHI called on Philippine Ambassador to Seoul Bernadette Therese Fernandez on Wednesday following the conclusion of the contract on Dec. 26 for the construction of two additional frigates for the Philippine Navy.

During the meeting, the officials expressed appreciation for the embassy’s support throughout the contracting process and underscored that the agreement reflects the high level of mutual trust and close cooperation between the two countries.

Discussions also touched on prospective areas of collaboration, including shipbuilding and maintenance, workforce development, training and the strengthening of local supply chains in the Philippines.

Fernandez emphasized that beyond platform acquisition, opportunities exist to advance workforce development, supply-chain localization and ODA-supported industrial cooperation, noting that these elements are essential to building a resilient and sustainable Philippine defense and maritime industry.

Both sides underscored the importance of sustained government and industry engagement in advancing naval defense cooperation and contributing to the long-term development of the Philippine maritime and shipbuilding sector.

The embassy reiterated its commitment to supporting initiatives that deepen the Philippines-Korea strategic partnership and promote mutually beneficial defense and industrial cooperation.