Korea-Philippines Joint Chiefs Meeting... Indo-Pacific Security Situation and Military Cooperation Discussed

First Meeting Between the Chiefs of Staff of the Two Countries in Six Years

The Chiefs of Staff of South Korea and the Philippines met on the 24th to discuss the security situation in the Indo-Pacific region and ways to enhance military cooperation between the two countries.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that on the same day, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kim Myung-soo met with Philippine Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Romeo Brouner. This is the first meeting between the South Korean and Philippine Chiefs of Staff in six years since 2019. Since the signing of the Defense Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2013, the two countries have maintained mutual high-level exchanges and military cooperation.

After holding a welcoming ceremony at the Ministry of National Defense parade ground, Chairmen Kim and Brouner discussed the joint understanding and ways to enhance mutual cooperation between South Korea and the Philippines for regional security.

Chairman Kim emphasized that “the Philippines is a comrade who fought alongside the Republic of Korea for freedom and peace during the Korean War and a value-sharing country that shares democratic values,” stressing the need to expand military cooperation between the two countries for freedom, peace, and prosperity in the international community.

Chairman Brouner’s visit to the Joint Chiefs of Staff was made in connection with attending the handover and launching ceremony of the Philippine Navy’s first and second patrol vessels, held in Ulsan on March 27.

The two Chiefs of Staff agreed to continue expanding cooperation in military and defense industry sectors while maintaining the momentum of upgrading the bilateral relationship to a “strategic partnership” last October, and to strengthen defense capabilities.