PRRD to explore new partnerships with South Korea

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in shake hands after they declare their joint press statement following the successful bilateral meeting at the Blue House in Seoul on June 4, 2018. TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — Exploring new partnerships and cooperation will be among President Rodrigo Duterte’s main goals in his second visit to South Korea to attend a summit there, Malacañang said on Monday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this remark as Duterte is slated to participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Republic of Korea (Asean-ROK) Commemorative Summit on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Panelo said the summit will be a venue for the President to discuss with other regional leaders ways to address new world challenges, such as protectionism, non-conventional security threats, transnational crimes, and cybercrime, among others.

Duterte will also hold bilateral talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, he added.

He added that Duterte’s second visit to the East Asian nation will also strengthen the 70-year relations between the two countries.

According to Panelo, Duterte arrived safely in Busan, South Korea on Monday morning to begin the first day of the summit and other related special events and activities.

The President was met at the Gimhae Air Base by South Korean Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Tae-ho, Deputy Director-General of Public Diplomacy/Task Force Philippines Team Leader Kyun Jongho and Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-Man.

Also present in welcoming the President were Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Noe Wong and Chief of Presidential Protocol and Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs Robert Borje.

Free trade deal

Earlier, Wong said the Philippines is pushing for the conclusion of a free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea to slash import tariffs on certain products particularly bananas from the Philippines.

South Korea imposes 30 percent tariff on Philippine-produced bananas while Asean-member countries enjoy better preferential treatment, he said.

“Well, that is really why we are really pushing for this resumption or completion of this free trade agreement. But you know, it’s a basis for negotiation,” Wong said in a press conference on Sunday.

Banana growers are concerned that share in the South Korean market may be reduced as Central American economies secured trade deals with Seoul that reduced, if not eliminated, tariff on their banana.

South Korea’s trade deal with the five Central American nations took effect in October.

The country’s negotiators want the current 30-percent tax on banana shipments to South Korean markets reduced to at least 5 percent if not zero.

FTA discussions between the Philippines and South Korea were launched last June this year.

The Philippines hopes the FTA will yield improved market access for its agricultural products such as banana, pineapple, okra, avocado, poultry products, and mango, in exchange for Korea’s industrial goods.

Aside from the FTA, Ambassador Han earlier said that at least four cooperation agreements in the fields of social security, education, fisheries, and tourism will be signed after the bilateral meeting Duterte and Moon.