The Official Website of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Korea

KAPE SA KOREA BRINGS FILIPINO COFFEE CULTURE TO SEOUL

Korean coffee-lovers enjoyed the unique taste of Filipino Coffee. Bottom-left photo: Amb. Theresa Dizon-De Vega invited Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Delia Domingo Albert to grace the pop-up coffee event of the Philippine Embassy. They are joined by Third Secretary and Vice Consul Reisha Olavario, and Coffee Barista Ms. Jang Dokyeom.

23 May 2025, Seoul - In celebration of Filipino food month, the Philippine Embassy in Seoul brought the warmth and richness of Philippine Coffee to Korea through a special tasting event and coffee pop-up, Kape Sa Korea, on 24 April 2025.

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega was pleased to welcome some of the guests and introduce them to the rich heritage and distinct flavor of Philippine coffee drinks specially developed for the Korean palette using Apo ni Bayosa Coffee Beans — a premium coffee variety grown by indigenous communities, cultivated with care and tradition in Atok, Benguet.

Serving around 200 cups of Filipino coffee in iced, hot, regular, and special latte variants, Kape sa Korea drew a wide array of guests at the Philippine Experience Center throughout the day, including Former Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Delia Domingo Albert, Korean beauty queen Mina Sue Choi, as well as Korean local government officers, creatives, entrepreneurs, and coffee lovers living and working in the area. It also brought a taste of home to Filipino clients of the Embassy.

The gathering served not only as a showcase of the global potential of Filipino coffee but also for the Philippine Experience Center as a dynamic space for cultural exchange and community building — one meaningful cup at a time.

Alongside the coffee, guests were likewise treated to a variety of Philippine rice and cassava-based snacks provided by the Philippine Agriculture Office in Seoul, showcasing rich Philippine culinary traditions and ingredients. A digital QR code for information on coffee was created for those who want to learn more about Philippine coffee farming practices, production, and distribution.

The Philippines is one of the few countries in the world capable of producing all four commercially viable coffee varieties: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa. This agricultural diversity is made possible by the country’s varied climates and fertile landscapes. The Republic of Korea’s coffee consumption is an impressive average of 405 cups per person annually, way above the global average of 152 which underscores the integral role coffee plays in the daily lives of the Korean community.

Ms. Dokyeom Jang, a Korean professional barista and café owner developed the recipes and assessed brewing methods from Philippine coffee beans for the pop-up activity.

The event was made possible by the joint efforts of the Embassy’s food and cultural promotions group, FOCUS Philippines, led by Ambassador Dizon-de Vega, the Embassy’s Economic Section, the Philippine Agriculture Office-Seoul, and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Seoul.

Displays inside the coffee experience center of the Philippine Embassy during its Kape sa Korea Pop-up event. Guests were able to learn about the variants of Philippine coffee and what makes it special.

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul looks forward to continuing to promote the Philippines’ rich food and beverage heritage and strengthening the cultural and economic ties between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea. END

BOYNEXTDOOR NAMED FIVB GLOBAL CELEBRITY AMBASSADORS FOR 2025 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE PHILIPPINES

K-Pop BOYNEXTDOOR Group named FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship Ambassadors. Members SUNGHO, RIWOO, JAEHYUN, TAESAN, LEEHAN and WOONHAK are named as the Manila World Championship global celebrity ambassadors and will be adding spice with a dynamic performance to spike off the 32-nation FIVB tournament. Joining them in this photo are Philippine Ambassador to Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega and Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) President Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

Seoul, Republic of Korea – The Philippines is set to host the FIVB 2025 Volleyball Men’s World Championship from 12-28 September 2025. As part of the lead up to this major sports event, K-pop group BOYNEXTDOOR was announced as the Global Celebrity Ambassadors of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship during a commemorative ceremony held at Hybe Headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on 26 April 2025.

The FIVB World Championship in the Philippines is a testament to close PH - ROK relations in culture and sports. It aims to showcase international sportsmanship and elevate the Philippine hosting of sporting events to a broader global audience.

Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) and Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) President Ramon “Tats” Suzara, who also serves as Executive Vice President of the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) formally announced BOYNEXTDOOR global celebrity ambassadors during the appointment ceremony. Executive members of Hybe Corporation also shared their high hopes on the unifying power of sports and music through this collaboration.

In her congratulatory remarks, Philippine Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega highlighted that the partnership emphasized the powerful convergence between the Philippines, FIVB, the global reach of pop music, and the unifying spirit of international sports. She likewise added that the Philippines looks forward to extending a warm and friendly welcome to all the participants in the international tournament.

BOYNEXTDOOR, who recently visited Manila as part of their ‘KNOCK ON Vol. 1’ world tour, expressed their excitement at being named Global Ambassadors and their appreciation for the Filipino community’s enduring support for both volleyball and K-pop.

The 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship is scheduled to take place at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and SM Mall of Asia Arena from 12 to 28 September 2025 and will bring together the world’s top 32 volleyball teams vying for the championship title. Presidential son William Vincent Araneta Marcos, will chair the Executive Board of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), and will be supported by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano and Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco as co-chairs of the Executive Board. END

HYBE President Rhee (Simon) Seung Suk, HYBE Chief Operating Officer Kim Tae Ho and PNVF and AVC President Ramon Suzara join Philippine Ambassador to Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega in welcoming this historic collaboration of music and sports.

PHILIPPINES PLEDGES USD 10,000 TO FEALAC FUND 2025

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26 April 2025, Seoul - Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega met with ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for Latin America and the Carribean Lee Joo-il on 26 April 2025 to reaffirm Philippine commitment to the Forum for East-Asia Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC) through active participation and support for its various initiatives, including advancements in dialogue on digital technology. The FEALAC Cyber Secretariat is headquartered in Seoul.

The Philippines likewise conveyed information on its approved voluntary contribution of USD 10,000 to the FEALAC trust fund for FY 2025. This is the third consecutive year that the Philippines has contributed to the fund. For the Philippines, being a member of FEALAC has diversified and deepened its cooperation with Latin American countries especially in the areas of mutual interest such as culture, agriculture, science and technology, innovation, digitalization, and disaster risk reduction and management, among others. END

UP SYSTEM PRESIDENT JIMENEZ VISITS PHL EMBASSY, MEETS WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND ALUMNI

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Seoul, 11 May 2025 – University of the Philippines (UP) System President Angelo “Jijil” Jimenez, accompanied by Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Leo Cubillan, visited the Philippine Embassy in Seoul on 11 May 2025 as part of efforts to expand UP’s global engagement and strengthen partnerships with stakeholders in South Korea. While in Korea, the UP officials took part in the APEC University Leaders’ Forum 2025: Leveraging AI in Higher Education to address Asia Pacific challenges on 13 May 2025 in Jeju Island, Korea.They likewise met with officials of Korea University in Seoul.

President Jimenez and VP Cubillan were welcomed by Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega, who briefed the delegation on the profile of Filipino students, scholars, and professionals currently based in Korea—including UP alumni and faculty involved in specialized sectors. The briefing also highlighted areas of mutual academic and research interest between the Philippines and South Korea.

President Jimenez later met with officers of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) Korea Chapter, where he underscored the importance of the UP alumni network in advancing the University’s institutional priorities. He encouraged alumni to actively contribute to UP’s efforts to enhance research capacity and promote international collaboration in priority fields such as STEM, nuclear science, and medicine.

Also in attendance during the visit were Deputy Head of Mission and Consul General Edwin Gil Q. Mendoza, Third Secretary and Vice Consul Jill De Dumo-Cornista, Agriculture Attaché Lev Nikko Makalintal, Welfare Officer Cornelia DG Chanco, MWO-OIC Manolo Barotilla, and representatives of the DOT-Seoul office.

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega reaffirmed the Embassy’s support for UP’s internationalization goals and expressed readiness to help facilitate future partnerships between UP and Korean institutions—particularly in areas of academic exchange, innovation, and alumni mobilization. END

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