Ties that Bind : Reinforcing South Korea-Philippine Security Cooperation

Bilateral ties are inherently strategic and offer avenues for critical areas of cooperation. The Philippines stood by the Republic of Korea (ROK) when it mattered the most. On 25 June 1950, the Korean People’s Army (KPA), with the support of the Soviet Union and China, had invaded South Korea. The United Nations exhorted its members to support ROK. On 7 September 1950, Philippine Congress passed Republic Act 573, the Philippine Military Aid to the UN Act, which allowed the deployment of Filipino troops. Then Philippine President Elpidio Quirino sent the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea to fulfill the country’s obligation as a co-signer of the United Nations Charter. The Philippines sent five Battalion Combat Teams consisting of 7,420 personnel under the United Nations Command in Korea. They suffered 116 killed in action, 299 wounded and 57 missing (41 repatriated during POW exchanges). (Philippine Embassy in ROK, June 22, 2024). The Korean War ended on 27 July 1953, after the signing of an armistice agreement by representatives of the United Nations Command, the KPA and the People’s Volunteer Army of China. On 13 May 1955 that the last of the Philippine troops left Korea.

The Philippines sent in troops who fought for 38 months. Filipino soldiers led by Brigadier General Mariano Castaneda distinguished themselves in the Battle of Yultong, where 900 Filipino and American troops fought against 40,000 enemy soldiers. The Battle of Yultong, which took place in Yultong village and centered around Hill 303, took place from April 22 to April 23, 1951. The combined Filipino and American troops displayed bravery, resilience, and camaraderie throughout the intense combat. Facing massive odds and subjected to persistent enemy attacks, they refused to surrender. Instead, they stood their ground on Hill 303, holding the line against the Chinese Communist forces. Their tremendous courage led to a positive impact on the outcome of the battle (Kollective Hustle, October 28, 2023). Filipino veterans reminisced that the weather was as brutal as the level of fighting, consisting of humid summers and frigid winters. Moreover, since there were no major preparations for this war, many soldiers, including foreign troops, paid the ultimate sacrifice (Army Corporal Pablito Fabe, 1965).

South Korea and the Philippines have an incredible history of security cooperation. Three legal frameworks made this possible: (i) 1950 Republic Act No. 573, The Philippine Military Aid to the UN Act; (ii) 1994 PH-ROK Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Logistics and Defense Industry Cooperation; and (iii) the 2013 PH-ROK MOU Concerning Cooperation in the Field of Defense. The 1994 PH-ROK MOU on Logistics and Defense Industry Cooperation is a mechanism used by the Philippine Department of National Defense and the ROK Defense Acquisition and Program Administration on the Procurement of Defense Materials from the ROK’s various defense industries. It created the Joint Committee on Logistics and Defense Industry Cooperation between the PH and ROK to conduct meetings alternately. The 2013 PH-ROK MOU Concerning Cooperation in the Field of Defense is an agreement between the PH and the ROK to establish cooperation areas in these fields: Exchange of Defense-related Experience and Information; Mutual Exchange of Visits by military personnel and experts; Military Education and Training; Research and Development; Defense industry; Logistics and maintenance; Military Technology Cooperation; Humanitarian assistance and international peacekeeping activities; Military sports and cultural activities; Military Medicine and Health Services; and other areas (Philippine Embassy in South Korea, June 22, 2024).

Similarly, ROK stands by the Philippines, through its full support for the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program by building up its naval fleet and implementing its force-design and acquisition decisions. Specifically, as part of the US$556 million procurement deal with the Philippine Government, Hyundai Heavy Industries is building two new corvettes with anti-ship, antisubmarine, and antiaircraft capabilities. Previously, the firm also won a contract to build two new frigates two patrol ships and six offshore patrol vessels for the Philippine Navy (The Korea Economic Daily, March 7, 2024). These corvettes and frigates are small, fast warships that are tasked to protect other vessels from attack (The Daily Sabah, December 28, 2021). Representatives of Hanwha Ocean has formally pitched its Jang Bogo-III submarines in a bid to build a pair of submarines for the Philippine Navy (Inquirer.net, September 25, 2022). The ROK donated a decommissioned Pohang-class corvette ROKS Andong (PCC-771) in 2022 and an ROKS Chungju (PCC-762), now called the BRP Conrado Yap in 2019 (The Korea Times, June 18, 2024).

To reinforce maritime security cooperation, South Korea can help Philippine maritime capabilities through three actions. First, ROK companies can set up a Vessels Spare Parts Supply Depot. This depot will ensure timely spares management so that there will be smooth ship operations. Spare parts are necessary for maintenance, repairs, and replacements, paving the way for the uninterrupted functionality of Korean-made vessels. The depot prevents downtime, maintenance delays, and safety risks. Further, it guarantees that the parts they get will work with the vessel equipment. There is significant cost reduction through the optimization of the supply chain and bulk purchasing of local orders. Efficient spares management is crucial for guaranteeing the operational readiness of ships leading to the safe operation of the equipment. When the right spares are readily available, the navy personnel can promptly address maintenance and repair requirements and foster compliance. Spares management directly impacts safety and compliance in shipping operations.

Second, South Korea could assist the Philippines in implementing its national maritime strategy. Two key principles of this strategy are the Free and Open Indo-Pacific concept and adherence to a rules-based order. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted the role of international law in the formation of the country’s territory and the basis of its maritime domain. Marcos cited the 1982 UNCLOS and the binding 2016 Arbitral Award, which affirmed the country’s territorial rights. Marcos pointed to an “open, inclusive, and rules-based international order that is governed by international law and informed by the principles of equity and of justice.” (Marcos Speech at the IISS Shangri-la Dialogue May 21, 2024). Unfettered trade and commerce, particularly oceangoing trade, will help ensure that durable goods continue to stock retail shelves. To put simply, empowering nations to have access to international trade will lead to global economic growth. South Korea is deeply committed to the rules-based international order. In December 2022, President Yoon Suk Yeol put forth the ROK’s Indo-Pacific Strategy as a major linchpin of his foreign policy so as to pursue the promotion of the rules-based international order (National Bureau of Asian Research, April 20, 2024). Briefly, Korea’s Indo-Pacific Strategy highlights these principles of cooperation: inclusiveness, trust and reciprocity. It features nine lines of effort, namely, build regional order based on norms and rules, cooperate to promote rule of law and human rights,  strengthen non-proliferation and counter-terrorism efforts, expand security cooperation, build security cooperation networks, strengthen cooperation in science and technology and close digital gap, lead regional cooperation in climate change and energy security, lead tailored contributive diplomacy through tailored development cooperation partnerships and promote mutual understanding and exchanges (ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2022).

Third, the Republic of Korea Navy, which is a blue navy, may gradually support the development of the Philippines’ own credible antisubmarine warfare capability, consisting of search, detection, tracking, identification, and attack, and post-attack analysis through the regular conduct of navy-to-navy staff talks on different maritime topics (Koda, 2010). More importantly, the constant exchange of naval expertise from South Korea may help lay the foundations for the future development of a distant-operations capability for the Philippine Navy. Additionally, the ROK plays a strategic role in the ongoing Philippines-Republic of Korea Maritime Dialogue which serves as a platform to exchange views on various maritime related issues and strengthens cooperation on ocean and fisheries.

Although Seoul’s strategic outlook is primarily focused on Northeast Asia and the challenges posed by North Korea, the former shares similar principles with the Philippines such as freedom of navigation, commitment to a rules-based order and uninterrupted maritime trade. South Korea can continue building strategic ties with the Philippines, devoid of any military deployment, but focusing on defense procurement support and developing mechanisms for enhancing ocean surveillance capabilities. Both countries have a shared history of security cooperation which began during the Korean War. Given the emerging scenarios and geopolitical tensions of a potential future conflict in the Indo-Pacific, this solid security cooperation reflects the advantages of flexibility, resilience and potential mutual gains.