The South Korean government will sustain its support to the ongoing peace and development efforts in Bangsamoro region, its envoy to the Philippines said.
Korean Ambassador Lee Sang-hwa made the commitment during his official visit to Cotabato City on June 1, upon overseeing Seoul’s ongoing projects in the region, the Korean Embassy said Tuesday.
He underlined Korea’s continued humanitarian assistance in the region and support for the “smooth and steady progress” of the Mindanao Peace Process, including ongoing efforts in both decommissioning and socio-economic development.
He also conveyed his hopes for a “free, fair, peaceful, and orderly” conduct of the upcoming Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections in September.
The Korean Embassy in Manila said the envoy’s trip marks his first official visit to Cotabato City, affirming Korea’s commitment to BARMM’s peace efforts.
The envoy met with BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua and visited project sites supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and UNICEF.
Part of Korea’s ongoing support in the region includes KOICA’s projects on health, education, nutrition, child protection, and other basic services. It is also active in helping enhance the institutional capacity of BARMM ministries and local government units.
Among these initiatives is the USD13-billion “Building Resilience through Inclusive Governance and Healthcare Transformation in BARMM (BRIGHT-BARMM) project, which aims to directly benefit more than 400,000 people throughout its run from 2025 to 2030.
Korea is also funding the USD5.95 million initiative called “Supporting Peace Building through Strengthening Essential Services for Vulnerable Children and Adolescents in BARMM (SPB-BARMM) that seeks to expand access to health services among vulnerable groups from Maguindanao and Cotabato City from 2023 to 2027.
In 2025, Korea also provided around 2,000 metric tons of rice assistance to the Philippines, of which 384 metric tons were allocated to BARMM.
Regionally, Korea supports climate resilience and sustainable development through the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). (PNA)