The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) participated in the 2nd Philippines-Republic of Korea Maritime Dialogue held at the Diamond Hotel Manila on 12 October 2023.
The Maritime Dialogue covered areas of concern, specifically ocean economy, maritime and environmental protection, cooperation on maritime security and safety, and regional and multilateral maritime-related developments.
Assistant Secretary Maria Angela A. Ponce of the Department of Foreign Affairs-Maritime and Oceans Affairs Office (DFA-MOAO) led the Philippine Delegation; PhilSA was represented by Mr. Kritzman G. Caballero, Chief of Space International Cooperation.
The Republic of Korea delegation was led by Deputy Director-General for ASEAN and Southeast Asian Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dong-bae Kim.
The dialogue, in anticipation of the 75th year of diplomatic relations between the two countries, highlighted the preparations for the high-level visit in January 2024 and reaffirmed the significant discussion during the 8th PH-ROK Policy Consultations conducted earlier this year.
Among the key interventions articulated on behalf of PhilSA included: (1) proposed cooperation in capacity building, research and development, and exchange of data and information related to maritime domain awareness; (2) fostering cooperation to enhance the space situational awareness related to debris from rocket launch and other space activities; (3) cooperation in monitoring and assessment of marine habitats and pollution, including those from ships and transboundary pollution (e.g., oil spills); and (4) cooperation with the Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency (KHOA) and the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST) for access to data from the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager II (GOCI-II) and joint R&D on ocean remote sensing applications, and Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) for matters related to space situational awareness and space surveillance technology.
The Korean delegation recognized the Philippines’ vulnerability to the launches conducted within the region and acknowledged PhilSA’s initiative on crafting the Orbital Debris Protocol, which will establish proper mechanisms for the recovery of debris and prevent potential hazards.
Both countries reaffirmed continued and strengthened commitment in addressing these shared maritime concerns. The third iteration of the dialogue, scheduled for 2024 in South Korea, intends to present the development achieved on the agreements reached in the previous sessions.
About the Maritime Dialogue
The Maritime Dialogue is a platform to exchange views on various maritime related issues and explore potential cooperation between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea. The holding of the 2nd iteration was a result of the success of the inaugural meeting in September 2022 in Busan, South Korea where both countries affirm strengthening cooperation on ocean and fisheries. The Philippine Delegation composed of government agencies from the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Navy, National Security Council, PNP-Maritime Group, National Coast Watch Center, the Department of Justice, Department of National Defense, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the Philippine Space Agency.