Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo called for denuclearization efforts in the Korean Peninsula as well as broader commitment to strengthen peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific during his visit to the United Nations Command (UNC) Joint Security Area (JSA).
In a statement, Manalo said “the Philippines recognizes the important role of the JSA and the UN Command as a key pillar for preserving peace, maintaining and overseeing the Armistice, as well as serving as a force provider in the contingencies on the Korean Peninsula to this day.”
He noted that the Philippine government understands that the UNC “must strengthen interoperability to ensure that it effectively serves as a key platform for peace,” adding that Manila “will continue to be an active participant in the future-forward initiatives” of the Command.
Manalo highlighted the importance of common commitment to “democracy, respect for human rights, and a rules-based international order” and condemned the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) ‘provocative actions.’
He said North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile tests, satellite launches using new technology, unlawful military cooperation, among other such actions, are “flagrant violations” of the UN Security Council sanctions.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) chief noted that DPRK’s activities “only serve to increase tensions and undermine economic progress, peace, and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the greater Indo-Pacific region.”
Manalo urged the concerned parties to resume its efforts for “denuclearization” and called for a peaceful dialogue “to realize our shared goals of peace, prosperity, and progress.”
“We urge all concerned parties to resume peaceful dialogue and continue working towards the realization of lasting peace and stability in a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. The Philippines will continue to support efforts to secure the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” the DFA chief said.
