Manila, September 8 (AseanAll) — Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on September 8, 2026 welcomed the new ambassadors of Norway and the Republic of Korea to the Philippines in a formal ceremony at Malacañan Palace, and expressed optimism about strengthening and deepening partnerships with the two nations.
The President first received the credentials of Kristian Netland, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Norway to the Republic of the Philippines, wherein he underscored the “warm and very productive” relations between the two countries and expressed optimism about exploring new areas of cooperation.
“I think that there are many, many areas that we can continue to pursue and new areas that we can explore and develop,” Marcos said.
The President emphasized the importance of the Philippines’ friendship with Norway amid an increasingly volatile geopolitical environment.
“We are happy to count Norway as a friend of the Philippines, and we look forward to all that we will do to strengthen that relationship and to make deeper the engagements between our two countries,” President Marcos said.
For his part, Netland said the Philippines and Norway have enjoyed many decadres of friendship “founded on trust, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to peace, democracy, and international cooperation.”
He cited opportunities to deepen cooperation in the maritime sector, trade, investment, education, innovation, sustainable growth, and the green transition.
“Norwegian companies have been present in the Philippines for decades, contributing with expertise, technology, and jobs,” he said.
“As both our countries pursue sustainable growth and the green transition, I believe there are substantial opportunities to expand cooperation and create new partnerships that benefit our peoples,” he added.
Marcos and Netland then held a closed-door meeting to discuss matters concerning the two nations.
Marcos also received Lee Dong-gy as the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of the Philippines, where the latter presented his letters of credence to the President in a separate ceremony.
In his brief remarks, Marcos highlighted the strong and longstanding relationship between the Philippines and South Korea and expressed confidence that the Strategic Partnership between the two countries would further be enhanced during Lee’s tenure.
“As we know, the relations between our two countries have been very, very strong and very, very close for many, many years… I look forward to the work that we will do here together in the time you have here in Manila and in the Philippines as Ambassador,” the President said.
The Chief Executive also expressed optimism about exploring new areas of cooperation with South Korea and improving the partnership to help maintain peace and stability in the region. The President likewise acknowledged the close collaboration on digital technology and shipbuilding industry.
For his part, Lee said the Philippines and South Korea share a longstanding friendship built on “mutual respect, shared values, and close people-to-people ties.”
He stressed that bilateral relations between the two nations have continued to expand across the political, economic, defense and security, law enforcement, and cultural fields.
He vowed to further strengthen the relationship and expand cooperation between the two nations during his tenure in the country. Moreover, Ambassador Lee conveyed South Korea’s full support to the ASEAN Chairship of the Philippines and reaffirmed South Korea’s continued engagement with ASEAN.
“As Ambassador, I will devote my utmost efforts to further strengthening this important relationship and to expanding our cooperation in ways that will bring tangible benefits to both our peoples,” he said.
Marcos and Lee likewise held a brief closed-door meeting at the Study Room.
Also present during the event were Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, Chief of Presidential Protocol Reichel Quiñones, and other DFA officials.
