President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s hard-line stance against criminality has gained the support of South Korea which promised to back up the new administration’s anti-crime campaign with a P6.6 million pledge to help modernize the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Very much encouraged by the pronouncement of the newly elected Philippine President that he will significantly dent criminality in the country in his first year in office, the South Korean government has in fact expressed willingness to reinforce cooperation with the Philippines in securing peace and order through joint projects such as capacity-building in police investigation.

The support was personally extended by South Korean Ambassador to Manila Kim Jae-Shin during his courtesy call to Duterte in Davao City last Thursday.

According to the South Korean Embassy in the Philippines, Ambassador Kim conveyed the congratulatory message of South Korean President Park Geun-Hye during their meeting while expressing hope to further improve the bilateral ties between the two countries and to continue the cooperation in various fields under the incoming administration.

The top South Korean diplomat in the Philippines also solicited stronger cooperation with the incoming administration regarding North Korean affairs particularly the political tension that still persists in the Korean Peninsula due to North Korea’s ceaseless development of nuclear arms and weapons of mass destruction.

Duterte gave his guarantee that the Philippines would remain in support of the South Korean government against North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

“Let me assure you that we are with you,” the South Korean embassy quoted the President-elect as saying during the meeting.

At the same time, Duterte also extended his wish to continue the joint efforts between Korea and the Philippines, expressing his cordiality towards Korea, citing his acquaintance with the Korean community in the Philippines and his fondness for Korean food and weather.

Aside from the anti-crime agenda of the new government and Korean affairs, Ambassador Kim and President-elect Duterte also discussed cooperation in investment and employment as well as collaboration in Philippine infrastructure projects. Duterte even cited an expressway constructed by a Korean corporation decades ago but remains in good condition. He praised it as one of the best foreign-built projects in the Philippines.

Source:
courtesy of MANILA BULLETIN

by Roy Mabasa

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