President Yoon Suk-yeol held a summit with Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. on Saturday and expressed hope for further cooperation in areas such as nuclear power, infrastructure and defense, his office said.
The two met on the sidelines of regional summits involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and discussed a range of issues, including ways to develop bilateral relations, Korean Peninsula issues, and cooperation between South Korea and ASEAN, Yoon's office said in a press release.
"President Yoon welcomed the Philippines' proposal for cooperation regarding the resumption of the nuclear power plant in Batan and said he hopes detailed consultations will proceed speedily," it said.
"In response, President Marcos said he is well aware of the competitiveness of South Korea's nuclear power plants and that he looks forward to related cooperation between the two countries."
Yoon also asked for support so that South Korean businesses can participate in various infrastructure projects planned in the Philippines.
The two leaders noted their countries' increased cooperation in the defense sector and agreed to expand cooperation for maritime security going forward.
They also shared their concern about North Korea's repeated provocations and agreed to strengthen cooperation to induce North Korea to return to denuclearization talks.
Yoon additionally thanked the Philippine government for sending its condolences to the South Korean people over the Itaewon crowd crush.
Source: Yonhap News Agency