The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PHILIPPINE AMBASSADOR MODERATES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY PANEL ON CHALLENGES FACED BY MIGRANT WOMEN IN SOUTH KOREA

Top and below: Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega moderates Session 2: Challenges of Migrant Women in the Workplace. She is joined by panelists Ms. Jasmine Lee, member of the National Assembly, Ms. Youngah Kim, Executive Director, Migration to Asia Peace, and Ms. Cassandra Talbot, freelancer and former European Chamber of Commerce manager.

7 March 2024 – Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega moderated Session 2 of an International Women’s Day 2024 panel on Women in the Workplace on 7 March 2024.

Divided into two sessions, Session 1 of the Panel discussed the Struggles of Korean Women in the Workplace. Session 2, which Ambassador Dizon-de Vega moderated, discussed the “Challenges Faced by Immigrant Women in the Workplace in South Korea”.

The conference was organized by the Mission of the European Union to the Republic of Korea in celebration of International Women’s Day and was held at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez welcomed participants to the forum by saying International Women’s Day is a day of celebration and a day of action, and the forum encourages women to speak up on women’s empowerment and challenges that need to be addressed.

In Session 2, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega was joined by panelists Ms. Jasmine Lee, a member of the National Assembly, Ms. Youngah Kim, Executive Director, Migration to Asia Peace, and Ms. Cassandra Talbot, freelancer and former European Chamber of Commerce manager.

The panel discussed the challenges experienced by migrant women in South Korea. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega affirmed the importance of the topic, highlighting the “current trend of the feminization of the migrant workforce in Korea, based on the ever-increasing number of migrant women joining the workforce.” She also emphasized the critical importance of evidence-based research to support efforts to empower migrant women in Korea.

Ms. Jasmine B. Lee, who is also the first and only ethnically Filipino representative in the National Assembly, emphasized the importance of proportional representation in the legislative for migrant women and other minorities, as well as challenges in politics, gender, and culture often affecting the presence of minorities in South Korea. Ms. Youngah Kim from civil society highlighted policy gaps that prohibit refugees and migrants from finding quality work and how the lack of social support disempowers them to start new lives in South Korea. Ms. Cassandra Talbot discussed the next-generation migrant workforce, noting that they are women trained and educated in Korea and it is important to make sure that their skills are fully utilized.

At the end of the engaging session, both the panel and the audience agreed that the face of South Korea is changing as it now includes more migrant women. The community, including both the public and private sectors, need to take an inclusive and all-encompassing approach to big-picture thinking to solve, engage, and address the challenges and opportunities that come with this change. END

Top row: Moderator and speakers for Session 2 of the International Women’s Day Conference on Women in the Workplace Today: Challenges and Opportunities Road to Empowerment. Top left: EU Ambassador to the ROK H.E. Maria Castillo Fernandez tells the audience women’s day is both a day of celebration and a day of action. Bottom row: Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega in purple jacket, center, flanked by her Philippine Embassy team including Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Jilliane Joyce De Dumo Cornista, Labor Attaché Maya Valderrama, Welfare Officer Nel D. Chanco and members of the Ambassador’s Office, the Political and Economic Section and the Gender and Development section.

PHILIPPINE INSTITUTE OF CIVIL ENGINEERS, INC. (PICE) INKS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH KOREAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS (KSCE)

[Top photo] Participants from the DPWH, PICE Korea Chapter, Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council (ACECC) and KSCE pose for a commemorative photo. [Below photo] Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Senior Undersecretary and Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, Inc. (PICE) National President Emik K. Sadain exchanges MOU with Korean Society of Civil Engineers (KSCE) President Mr. Choong-ki Chung.

28 February 2024, Seoul. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Senior Undersecretary and Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, Inc. (PICE) National President Emik K. Sadain signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Korean Society of Civil Engineers represented by its President Mr. Choong-ki Chung.

Senior Undersecretary Sadain highlighted that the signing of the MOU marks the beginning of the Philippines and Korea’s immense potential for cooperation and advancement in the field of civil engineering. The Undersecretary said, “By formalizing this partnership between KSCE and PICE we are laying a foundation for a mutually beneficial relationship built on shared goals, values, expertise and resources.” Through the tireless effort and commitment of the PICE and KSCE leadership, both organizations can contribute not just to the advancement of the civil engineering profession but also to the fostering of stronger relations between the people of the Philippines and Korea. “The timing of this MOU signing could have been any better as we are celebrating the 75^th Anniversary of diplomatic relations of the PH-ROK this year,” he also added.

KSCE President Chung welcomed the PICE delegation and shared that the signing of the MOU will not only lead to more collaboration between the two organizations but also to greater cooperation between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea in both the civil engineering industry and academia. He cited the Philippines increasing demand for infrastructure development and the growing interest of Korean companies to participate in infrastructure projects as further impetus to expand cooperation in many aspects.

The signing ceremony was held on 26 February 2024 at the KSCE Headquarters in Seoul and participated by Asian Civil Engineering Coordinating Council (ACECC) Chair Jae-Woo Park, KSCE Secretary General Dae-Jin Hwang, and KSCE Vice Chair of International Construction Project Committee Jeong-Hwan Kim. DPWH officials who are in the Republic of Korea for a technology transfer program also attended the meeting and MOU signing namely: Undersecretaries and PICE Past National Presidents Eugenio R. Pipo Jr. and Ador G. Canlas; Undersecretaries Roberto R. Bernardo, Carlos G. Mutuc, and Eric D. Ayapana; OIC-Undersecretary Marichu A. Palafox; Assistant Secretary Joy Manginsay; and Project Director and PICE Convention Committee member Ramon A. Arriola III. The Political and Economic Section of the Philippine Embassy headed by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha L. Olavario were present to witness the event.

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul looks forward to stronger people-to-people engagement in the field of civil engineering under the signed MOU and congratulates PICE and KSCE members for all its initiatives to further professionalize the specialized and highly technical field of civil engineering. END

Photos: Members of the PICE and KSCE discuss future programs and plans under the MOU upon its signing. The Philippine delegation also invited KSCE to participate in the 2024 PICE Mid-Year National Convention in Manila, the first of its kind, with the theme “Building Global Partnerships, Bridging Boundaries and Fostering New Technologies Towards a more Resilient and Sustainable Development.”

STUDENT’S ROUNDTABLE DIALOGUE ON NORTH KOREA

PR MTD 26 2024

[Bottom Right Photo] Ambassador Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega together with the IDH Team Secretariat. [Top Photo] Minister and Consul General Romulo Victor Israel Jr. and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario together with the IDH Secretariat and the participants of the Student’s Roundtable Dialogue on North Korea that was held at the Sentro Rizal Conference Room of the Embassy on 20 February 2024.

20 February 2024, Seoul – The Philippine Embassy, in collaboration with the International Democracy Hub (IDH), held a Student’s Roundtable Dialogue on North Korea at the Sentro Rizal Conference Room of the Philippine Embassy on 20 February 2024.

The Roundtable Dialogue aims to raise awareness of the human rights issues in the DPRK. The IDH Team, a student organization co-funded by the ROK Ministry of Unification, prepared five (5) presentations that included an overview and the future of North Korean Human Rights. Two (2) North Korean defectors were likewise invited to share their personal stories with the participants. The stimulating Roundtable Discussion concluded with an engaging Q&A where all attendees participated actively. The Philippine Embassy once again thanks the IDH Team and the attendees to the event. END

PHILIPPINES PUSHES FOR SPACE VALUE CHAIN AND LOCAL SPACE ECONOMY AND INDUSTRY IN MEETING WITH KOREAN AEROSPACE EXECUTIVES

[Above photo] PhilSA Director General Joel Joseph Marciano Jr. (left) meets with representatives of Perigee Aerospace Inc. [Below photo courtesy of Perigee Aerospace Inc.] Sixth from left, Perigee Aerospace Inc. Founder & CEO Mr. Yoon Shin, PhilSA DG Marciano Jr., fifth from left and Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega, fourth from left.

27 February 2024, Daejeon - The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) led by Director General Joel Joseph Marciano Jr. conducted a technical visit to the Republic of Korea from 12 to 14 February 2024. Director General Marciano met with Perigee Aerospace Inc. officials at their Rocket Development Complex (RDC) located in Okcheon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, ROK. Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea H.E. Theresa Dizon-De Vega, as well as members of the Embassy’s economic team, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario, and Commercial Counselor Jose Ma. Dinsay also joined the meeting.

Mr. Yoon Shin, Founder & CEO of Perigee Aerospace Inc. discussed areas of cooperation within the scope of the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with PhilSA. Perigee Aerospace Inc. also provided a tour of their Okcheon RDC facilities.

This was followed by a visit to the Perigee Aerospace Inc.’s office in Daejeon, ROK where PhilSA DG Marciano Jr. gave a presentation on the Philippine Space Agency’s mandate, plans, and space diplomacy projects.

Both sides also discussed future collaboration for the launch and reuse of small space launch vehicles (SLVs) in the Philippines and the development status of Perigee Aerospace’s Blue Whale 1, a two-stage launch vehicle undergoing testing with a launch planned off the coast of Jeju Island. On 14 February 2024, PhilSA Science Research Specialist Sonny Cac Jr. and Commercial Counselor Dinsay traveled to Jeju Island, ROK for a visit to Perigee’s Jeju branch office, followed by an introductory meeting with the Mechanical Engineering Department of Jeju University the Space Mobility Division of Jeju Self-Governing Province.

Discussions were likewise held on cooperation for future test launches, vehicle stage recovery for reuse, and possible Perigee commercial operations within the Philippines.

To spur space talent and development in the Philippines, PhilSA and Perigee discussed possible collaboration in specialized educational programs on space industry development, particularly on the manufacturing and practical use of space launch vehicles.

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega welcomed the close collaboration of PhilSA and Perigee. The Ambassador also expressed optimism in stronger Philippines – Republic of Korea cooperation on space research, industry promotion, and development upon the launch of the new Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) sometime in 2024. END

[Top Photo] PhilSA Director General Joel Joseph Marciano Jr. (left) presents PhilSA's mandate, plans and space diplomacy projects with representatives of Perigee Aerospace Inc. and Nara Space. [Below photo courtesy of Perigee Aerospace Inc.] Sixth from left, Perigee Aerospace Inc. Founder & CEO Mr. Yoon Shin, PhilSA DG Marciano Jr., fourth from right and Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega, third from right.