President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived Sunday from his successful participation in the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, where the President advanced Philippine interests and deepened cooperation with countries in the region.

In his arrival statement, Marcos outlined the gains for the Philippines from his four-day visit to South Korea, including foreign investments and partnerships in key sectors.

Marcos said he and fellow economic leaders in the Asia-Pacific had robust and fruitful discussions on the most pressing challenges in the region, including supply chain disruptions, climate change, economic inequality, and the accelerating pace of technological transformation.

“We saw, once again, how APEC-member economies, despite our diversity, shared common aspirations, and how strongly we resonated in our desire to move forward together,” the President said.

“More importantly, we debated, we listened, and we laid down meaningful and action-oriented pathways for regional economic cooperation.”

Marcos said the key global concerns discussed revolved around the rapid deployment of AI, far-reaching demographic changes, and the flourishing of cultural and creative industries ? topics that are deeply relevant to the Philippines’ vision of a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready economy.

During the discussions, the President advanced Philippine priorities, including: narrowing the digital divide for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) through equitable access to digital services and financial inclusion; advancing seamless movements of goods and people through infrastructure development;

promoting supply chain resiliency amid shocks and crises; and promoting digital literacy and upskilling for MSMEs, women, and other sectors with potential.

“These priorities were well-received, and we worked with our partners to identify concrete ways forward, as reflected in the outcome documents adopted and concluded during the visit,” the Chief Executive said.

On the sidelines of the visit, Marcos held bilateral meetings with South Korea President Lee Jae Myung and Chilean President Gabriel Boric, where the leaders reaffirmed commitment to strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation in areas of shared interests.

Marcos also met with top executives from Korean conglomerates, reflecting the growing confidence of Korean investors in the Philippines’ economic potential and policy environment.

The President said the discussions were strategically focused on exploring partnerships in high-value sectors, such as advanced manufacturing in electronics and semiconductors, clean energy, and defense related industries.

The President also witnessed the signing of a supplemental agreement between the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Philippine Economic Zone Authority and Samsung Electro-Mechanics Philippines valued at over PhP50 billion, which is expected to generate more than 3,000 new high technology jobs for Filipino engineers and technicians.

Samsung Electro-mechanics Philippines further committed to the training of Filipino workers and the establishment of R&D centers with some of the country’s universities.

“This commitment is vital as Korean FDI inflows reached 55 million dollars in the first half of 2025, reflecting strong investor confidence that this administration is seeking to translate into concrete, long term commitments,” Marcos said.

The business meetings organized by the DTI aim to significantly deepen economic ties while leveraging the momentum of the Philippines-Korea Free Trade Agreement which entered into force last year.

The President also met with the Filipino community in Busan, thanking them for their meaningful contributions to their communities in the Philippines and in South Korea. Presidential News Desk