Seoul, Republic of Korea – Senior Undersecretary Irineo C. Espino, Undersecretary of National Defense, attended the commemoration of the 75th founding anniversary of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces (ROKAF) from September 24-27, 2023.
The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea (ROK) extended the invitation to the Philippines to showcase its armed forces and equipment, and express its gratitude to the contributions of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) during the Korean War in the 1950s. More than a hundred Filipino Korean War heroes were killed during the war.
During the opening reception of the 75th ROKAF Day, Senior Undersecretary Espino had the opportunity to meet his counterpart Vice Minister of Defense SHIN Beomchul, and they briefly discussed ways to advance bilateral defense cooperation.
On the sidelines of the event, Senior Undersecretary Espino paid tribute to Filipino Korean War heroes, a commemorative activity for the PEFTOK organized by the Call Heroes Association on September 24, 2023.
“Through the PEFTOK’s humanitarian efforts and dedicated service, we helped keep alive the hope and resilience of the Korean People to rebuild and establish a peaceful and prosperous society for generations to come,” Senior Undersecretary Espino underscored during his tribute address. He also expressed appreciation to the ROK for the scholarship grants given to the descendants of Filipino Korean War veterans in support of their contribution.
In 2022, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of National Defense and the Ministry of Patriot and Veterans Affairs (MPVA) on Veterans Affairs was signed with the end goal of enhancing cooperation on veterans matters between the Philippines and the ROK. Senior Undersecretary Espino likewise visited and paid respects at the War Memorial of Korea (WMOK) on September 27, 2023
