INQUIRER.net
By: Frances Mangosing, September 14th, 2015 04:48 PM
Defense Minister of the Republic of Korea Han, Minkoo and Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin signed the Memorandum of Agreement on the Protection of Classified Military Information between the Philippines’ Department of National Defense and Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Defense on September 14, 2015, at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. DND-PAS
COUNTRIES directly involved in the ongoing territorial dispute in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) should abide by the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), South Korean defense chief Han Minkoo said on Monday.
“It is my stance that the relevant nations surrounding this area and this situation should solve this situation based on mutual respect towards each other’s sovereignty and mutual cooperation and mutual understanding of each nation’s perspective,” he told reporters through interpreter in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo for his two-day visit in the country.
“I also believe that parties should act in accordance with the DOC that has already been made,” Han said adding he looks forward to “the speedy conclusion of the code of conduct concerning the South China Sea.”
The Philippines is one of the claimants in the disputed waterway, along with Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan. China has made sweeping expansion in nine areas in the Spratlys (Kalayaan Island Group) the past few months, turning reefs into artificial islands.
He described the security situation in the region as an “Asian paradox” as the economic cooperation has been deepening but not in the security operation.
He said the South China Sea is also a major trade route to South Korea as 90 percent of their petroleum trade goes through the disputed waterway, as well as 30 percent of their overall trade.
“I hope that the problem of the South China Sea and its maritime routes will be resolved shortly,” he said.
On Monday morning, Han met with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and discussed further enhancement of its defense relations through the expansion of exchanges at the senior defense and military levels.
Gazmin thanked the Korean armed forces that helped in the rehabilitation of Palo, Tanauan and Tolosa and Leyte during Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.
Han said he and Gazmin have agreed on the protection and exchange of confidential information.
“Right after the conference we also signed our agreement on the protection of confidential military information, thereby laying a systematic foundation for military information and intelligence exchange between our two nations,” Han said.
He also said that South Korea intends to educate its neighboring nations.
“Korea has accumulated extensive experience in terms of defense capability, many know-hows considering security, we’ve also have extensive experience in education, and Korea intends to share such technology and know-how to neighboring and friendly nations,” Han said.
“And with the Philippines we are already conducting many cooperation in many areas, for example we have regular senior level bilateral meetings between the Philippines and Korea, we are conducting extensive educational exchanges between many of our officers, and we are also conducting cooperation between our defense ministry, although on a limited scale. And I believe that all these areas can be expanded even further,” he added.
Han also visited the Korean war memorial and conducted a wreath laying ceremony in the morning and paid tribute to veterans who died in the Korean war.
The Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea of the Philippine Army was deployed to help in the Korean War in the 1950s. There were almost 8,000 troops, the fourth largest under the United Nations Command.
Because of that help decades ago, he said they are “very fond” of Filipinos and will be willing to extend their help anytime.
“It served as an opportunity to pay my respect and tribute to the veterans and who died in the Korean war. And just before the conference now I also had the time to share luncheon with some of our veterans and their families,” Han said. Frances Mangosing/AC
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