Relationship dossier
Philippines
South Korea
Relationship assessment
Broad cooperation in defense, development and economic ties
Philippines toward South Korea
+55The Philippine government has pursued defense cooperation with South Korea, including procurement of FA-50 aircraft from South Korean manufacturers. The Philippines also concluded a bilateral free trade agreement with South Korea and elevated the relationship through a strategic partnership.
South Korea toward Philippines
+55The South Korean government has provided development assistance to the Philippines and strengthened bilateral cooperation through a strategic partnership. South Korean firms have supplied military equipment to the Philippines, including FA-50 aircraft, and the two governments concluded a bilateral free trade agreement.
Overall relationship
+55The relationship has a durable cooperative structure, with government engagement spanning defense procurement, development assistance and a bilateral trade agreement. The 2024 elevation to a strategic partnership reflects a wider framework for cooperation. No major bilateral disputes are identified among the principal features considered.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
The Philippines and South Korea maintain a broad cooperative relationship spanning defense, development cooperation and economic ties. The Philippines has acquired South Korean military equipment, including FA-50 aircraft, while the two governments have strengthened their partnership and concluded a bilateral free trade agreement. South Korea has also provided development assistance to the Philippines. The relationship is supported by several concrete arrangements, though the scope and implementation of cooperation vary across sectors.
Key developments
The Philippines and South Korea signed a bilateral free trade agreement.
The two governments elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership during South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's visit to the Philippines.
The Philippines procured FA-50 aircraft from South Korean manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries.
Major uncertainties
- The extent and implementation of recent defense and security cooperation are unclear.
- The economic effects of the bilateral free trade agreement are not assessed here.