The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY CELEBRATES DR. RIZAL’S 161st BIRTH ANNIVERSARY

PR MTD 69 2022 161st Birth of Dr Jose Rizal

19 June 2022, Seoul. The Philippine Embassy in Seoul celebrated Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s 161st Birth Anniversary on 19 June 2022 at the Sentro Rizal Seoul. Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega welcomed guests to the event and emphasized in her message that “[t]here is always a Rizal for everyone.” Noting the many facets of the national hero’s life, Ambassador Dizon-De Vega said that Dr. Rizal wore many hats - including as a poet, ecologist, artist, inventor, medical practitioner, and illustrator, among others - that made him relatable to every Filipino.

The event featured a floral offering to Dr. Rizal and a screening of Prof. Ambeth Ocampo’s Magisterial Lecture at the Ateneo de Manila University on his award-winning book “Rizal Without the Overcoat.”

The guest of honor was Dr. Jeom Suk Yeon, Professor Emeritus at the Kyung Hee University, who earned her Ph.D. in English at the University of the Philippines and taught English for more than 35 years. She has translated Rizal’s immortal poem Mi Ultimo Adios in the Korean language and published essays on Jose Rizal and Philippine literature in Korean academic journals and magazines. She shared her insights from her own experience of doing research and writing on Rizal and read a few stanzas of the poem in Korean for the audience.

Consul General Romulo Victor Israel, Jr. in closing the program said that the legacy of our acclaimed national hero is universal and still relevant today. With the help of fraternal orders and societies, such as the Knights of Rizal, he said that Filipinos can better be guided in learning more from Rizal’s life and works and in our quest to live up to his ideals and aspirations for our country.

The event was attended by Embassy personnel, heads of attached agencies, and guests including Filipino scholars who are presently studying in South Korea. END.

AMBASSADOR DIZON-DE VEGA PARTICIPATES IN KGS-ACS GAS SAFETY MEETING

PR MTD 68 2022

SEOUL, 19 June 2022 — Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega participated in the Korea Gas Safety Corporation (KGS) and the ASEAN Committee in Seoul (ACS) Gas Safety Meeting, held on 15 June 2022 at the KGS Corporation Headquarters in Chungcheongbuk-do.

The Members of the ACS met with KGS Officials to discuss the gas safety management system in ROK, and to explore potential cooperation on gas safety between the ASEAN and the ROK. ACS participants were also given a tour of industrial and toxic gas safety related facilities. END

PHILIPPINE TOURISM CAMPAIGN “IT’S MORE FUN WITH YOU IN THE PHILIPPINES” AT THE HYUNDAI SEOUL

PR MTD 67 2022 Tourism Campaign at Hyundai Seoul

14 June 2022, Seoul – Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega attended the opening ceremony of the “It’s More Fun with You in the Philippines” at The Hyundai Seoul on 14 June 2022. The hybrid campaign is a special project of the Philippine Department of Tourism Korea (PDOT-Korea) aimed to promote the Philippines as a fun and safe travel destination in the new normal. It likewise aims to position the Philippines as a top-of-mind destination for Korean travelers with the opening of Philippine borders to foreign tourists and easing of pandemic restrictions.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega was joined by Philippine Department of Tourism-Korea Director Maria Corazon Jorda-Apo, Mr. Alex Macatuno of the ASEAN-Korea Centre, Mr. Chang Sup Kim Senior Managing Director of the Hyundai Seoul, Ms. Misun Song CEO of Hana Tour and Mr. Intae You CEO of Mode Tour during the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially launch the tourism campaign. Philippine Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) COO Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones is also in Korea to visit the event site and to meet with Korean Travel and Tour industry companies and travel media.

Guests and participants enjoyed a brief tour of the pop-up event with an interactive display of Philippine tourism destinations like Palawan, Boracay, Clark, Bohol, Cebu, Manila, Siargao and the Masungi Georeserve in Rizal. END

PH EMBASSY HOLDS TRADITIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY RECEPTION FOR THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS, KOREAN, AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

1PR MTD 66 2022 National Day reception

14 June 2022, Seoul - The Philippine Embassy in Korea held its first traditional Diplomatic Reception in three years. The event was held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Itaewon, Seoul with 200 guests from the diplomatic corps, the Korean Government, and partners of the Philippines in the economic, security, political, cultural, educational, artistic, labor, agriculture, tourism, media, and other fields.

In her toast remarks, Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega recalled the sacrifices of Filipino heroes as well as modern-day Filipinos as they navigate the increasingly complex path towards a peaceful, just, progressive, and sustainable future. She likewise celebrated the enduring and historic ties between the Philippines and Korea forged during the Korean War and moving ever forward. The Philippines and Korea mark 73 years of diplomatic relations and will commemorate a milestone 75 years of ties in 2024.

Korean Defense Acquisition Program Authority (DAPA) Minister Kang Eun-Ho and Trade, Industry, and Energy Deputy Minister Dr. Chun Yoon-Joong offered congratulatory remarks on the occasion. They joined Ambassador Carlos Victor Bongou, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and also Non-resident Ambassador of Gabon to the Philippines and Director General Cecilia Chung of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a ceremonial cake-cutting with Ambassador De Vega.

Cultural performances by vocalist Mr. Yuli Leonor and the Pearl of the Orient and Filipino Catholic Community of Seoul cultural groups further enlivened the occasion. Some of the guests also danced the popular folkdance "Tinikling" with the performers.

Philippine cuisine, drinks, and fruits were enjoyed by the guests while Cebu Pacific Airlines gave away two roundtrip tickets for Seoul to Manila for the evening's lucky draw.

Other major Philippine events this month include starting this week an interactive travel promotion event organized by the Philippine Department of Tourism Korea office with the support of travel industry partners at the newest and trendiest mall in Korea - The Hyundai Seoul from 14 to 20 June. There will likewise be a Filipino Community Leaders’ Forum on 18 June to be held in person for the first time in more than two years in Seoul in time for Philippine Independence Month and Migrant Workers’ Month and the commemoration of the birth anniversary of Philippine national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal at the Sentro Rizal-Seoul on 19 June. END

2PR MTD 66 2022 National Day Reception