23 June 2026, SEOUL — Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez attended the dinner hosted by ROK President Lee Jae Myung for members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of international organizations at the Nokjiwon Garden of Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House) on 23 June 2026. Ambassador Fernandez was honored to be seated at the head table, reflecting the importance accorded to the Philippines as ASEAN Chair in 2026 and as a Strategic Partner of the Republic of Korea. 

In his remarks, President Lee highlighted the Republic of Korea’s active foreign policy engagement, noting that he had met with leaders of more than 50 countries and held around 100 summit meetings and talks over the past year. He reaffirmed the ROK’s commitment to work with the international community on shared values of freedom, peace, and prosperity, and assured Ambassadors of his administration’s support in enabling them to carry out their diplomatic work in Korea. 

During the dinner, Ambassador Fernandez underscored the value of the ASEAN-ROK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership vision and the importance of the ROK’s continued engagement in Southeast Asia. The occasion follows the 3 March 2026 Summit between President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and President Lee Jae Myung, and comes ahead of the ASEAN Summit later this year, where the Philippines, as ASEAN Chair, will continue to work with partners in advancing regional peace, prosperity, and people-centered cooperation. END