Busan, 24 July 2025 - Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Theresa Dizon-De Vega paid a farewell call on Busan Metropolitan Government Park Heong Joon on 16 July 2025 at the Busan City Hall.  During the call, the Ambassador expressed appreciation for the continued support and friendship extended by partners and counterparts in Busan over the past four years. 

She highlighted that the city has played a significant role in advancing PH-ROK strategic partnership, hosting major bilateral milestones such as the inaugural PH-ROK Maritime Dialogue in 2022 and the largest-ever Pistang Pinoy sa Korea in 2024. It has also become a preferred venue for high-level global forums, including the 5th Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) on Plastic Pollution (2024), the 10th Our Ocean Conference (2025) and the 5th APEC Ocean-Related Ministerial Meeting (2025) as well as annual e-Games, public health, infrastructure, and agriculture and fisheries expositions. These developments highlight Busan’s growing role in international cooperation and sustainability, making it a strategic location for enhanced diplomatic presence. 

Busan City has emerged as a stronghold of the Filipino community, with 2,267 registered Filipino residents and another 16,000-17,000 Filipinos in nearby cities and regions. The Filipino population continues to thrive and actively contribute to the city’s socio-economic success, further reinforcing strong PH-ROK people-to-people ties. 

Ambassador Dizon-De Vega conveyed that plans are underway for the forthcoming establishment of the Philippine Consulate General in Busan, Republic of Korea. This milestone reflects the importance of Busan in the PH-ROK strategic partnership relations and the expanding presence of the Filipino community in the region. The new Consulate General will provide essential consular services and oversee the needs of over 18,000 Filipinos living in Busan and neighboring provinces and cities, while also deepening cultural, economic, and people-to-people ties. 

For his part, Mayor Park expressed his sincere appreciation for the Ambassador’s contribution to PH-ROK relations, including her contributions in strengthening Philippine ties with Busan. He relayed that his thrust as a mayor is to establish Busan as a cultural city, and ramp up its maritime sector. Ambassador Dizon-De Vega conveyed that the Philippines looks forward to continued collaboration with the Busan Metropolitan Government and local stakeholders in the coming years. 

The farewell call was held in conjunction with the courtesy call of Bacoor City Mayor Strike Revilla who was in Busan for the World Smart City Expo (WSCE) 2025 held at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) where the city shared its commitment to advancing smarter, more resilient, and people-centered urban development. To support Bacoor City’s smart city initiatives, the Busan Metropolitan Government toured the Ambassador and Mayor Revilla inside their disaster risk reduction command center which reflects the city’s best practices in safety management. END