Defence chiefs of South Korea, Philippines discuss expanding arms cooperation

Seoul: South Korea's Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back met with his Philippine counterpart on Monday to discuss regional security issues and ways to boost bilateral arms cooperation, Seoul's defence ministry said.

Ahn's meeting with Philippine Defence Minister Gilberto Teodoro was held on the sidelines of the Seoul Defence Dialogue that began earlier in the day.

The two ministers assessed that South Korea and the Philippines have continued to build trust for a prolonged period and vowed to expand cooperation in various sectors, including in personnel exchanges and joint drills, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The two ministers also vowed to strengthen cooperation in the defence sector by building on an agreement reached at a bilateral summit of their leaders held in March.

Notably, Ahn underscored the excellence of South Korean weapons systems, while requesting support for South Korean companies taking part in the modernisation project of the Philippine military.

Teodoro highly evaluated the South Korean arms industry and expressed hope for increased bilateral cooperation in the defence sector in the future.

Ahn explained that the South Korean government was pushing to ensure peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula in coordination with the international community, and the Philippine minister expressed support for Seoul's efforts, the ministry said.

In a post on X, the Philippines Department of National Defence stated, "Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro met with Republic of Korea Minister of Defence Ahn Gyu-back in Seoul today, reaffirming the two countries’ commitment to enhancing defence cooperation as strategic partners sharing mutual interest in preserving regional stability."

Gilberto Teodoro arrived in South Korea on Sunday to attend the Seoul Defence Dialogue (SDD) 2026. The SDD is a multilateral security forum hosted annually by South Korea's Ministry of National Defence, bringing together defence and security leaders, government officials, policymakers, and experts to exchange perspectives, discuss shared challenges, and strengthen cooperation, according to the statement released by the Philippines Department of National Defence on X.

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