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Korea, Philippines discuss defense, arms industry cooperation

Published: 15 Sep. 2025, 18:46

Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee, right, and his Philippine counterpart, Irineo Cruz Espino, shake hands during a meeting in Seoul on Sept. 15. [YONHAP]

Senior defense officials of Korea and the Philippines met in Seoul on Monday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in defense and the arms industry, the Ministry of National Defense said.

Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee and his Philippine counterpart, Irineo Cruz Espino, shared their opinions on the regional security situation and discussed ways to expand their cooperation through combined training and personnel exchange, according to the ministry.

Lee thanked Espino for Manila's decision to acquire 12 Korean FA-50 light attack fighters and requested the country's support for Korean defense firms seeking to take part in military modernization projects in the Philippines.

In response, Espino said Korean weapon systems have helped modernize his country's military and agreed on building mutually beneficial ties in the arms industry, the ministry said.

Monday's meeting came just days after the defense chiefs of the two countries met on the margins of a security forum hosted by Seoul's defense ministry last week and agreed to expand bilateral defense cooperation under a strategic partnership established last year.

Yonhap