Philippines-ROK defense ties shift toward industrial cooperation

Maria T. Reyes

The Philippines-Republic of Korea (ROK) defense relationship is entering a phase in which industrial cooperation could become as strategically important as arms procurement. Manila increasingly has turned to ROK defense companies to meet its capability requirements, while Seoul considers the Philippines an important partner in expanding its defense industry’s regional footprint.

The relationship has deep roots: The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) first deployed internationally during the Korean War in 1950. That shared wartime experience provided the basis for deepening defense cooperation over the decades, Deryk Baladjay, a lecturer in the Department of International Studies at De La Salle University in Manila, told FORUM.

The AFP operates a growing inventory of ROK-made systems, including FA-50 fighter aircraft. ROK-based defense company HD Hyundai has secured contracts for 12 Philippine naval vessels, six of which have been delivered. On the sidelines of the Seoul Defense Dialogue in early September 2026, company leaders and Philippine defense officials discussed further supporting the Philippine Navy’s modernization.

Manila and Seoul also are collaborating with the United States, their longtime mutual ally, to expand shipbuilding capacity.

As Manila seeks greater defense self-reliance, it should ensure that procurements produce sustainable capabilities rather than dependence on foreign suppliers, Baladjay said.

“South Korean platforms constitute a significant part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization portfolio, particularly for the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force,” he said. “This creates an important form of de facto interoperability: Philippine personnel are already operating, maintaining and training on Korean-origin systems. The relationship can, therefore, progress beyond procurement toward lifecycle cooperation — training, maintenance, repair and overhaul, logistics, spare parts, upgrades, and sustainment.”

Signs of that shift are visible. In June 2026, at the 27th meeting of the nations’ Joint Committee on Defense Industry and Logistics, officials discussed expanding cooperation beyond acquisition, with nine ROK defense companies participating. Months earlier, Korea Aerospace Industries secured a $70 million logistics contract to support the Philippine Air Force’s fleet of ROK-made FA-50PH combat aircraft through 2028, extending cooperation beyond the initial aircraft purchase.

Manila and Seoul are expanding industrial and security cooperation amid geopolitical uncertainty. The Philippines faces frequent maritime incursions and harassment by the Chinese Communist Party’s coast guard and maritime militia, while the ROK contends with the North Korean regime’s illicit ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs.

During their March 2026 summit in Manila, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and ROK President Lee Jae-myung reaffirmed the importance of upholding international laws and maritime rules and norms.

Baladjay identified several indicators as to whether the nations’ industrial cooperation will expand into a broader strategic partnership, including institutional arrangements that streamline sustained military cooperation, and a defense-industrial relationship centered on capability development rather than additional purchases.

The relationship has “developed significantly as a defense-industrial and supplier-customer relationship, particularly through South Korea’s defense exports to the AFP,” he said. “Ultimately, this evolution from a supplier-customer relationship to a strategic one will be measured by whether Seoul and Manila begin doing things together that neither side would have been able, or willing, to do under a purely commercial relationship.”

Maria T. Reyes is a FORUM contributor reporting from Manila, Philippines.