8 September 2026, SEOUL - Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. met with Republic of Korea Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kwon Oh-eul to reaffirm the enduring friendship between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea and honor the shared sacrifices of Filipino and Korean veterans during the Korean War. The two sides also discussed continued cooperation in veterans’ welfare, healthcare, long-term care, and support for former servicemen and women.

The meeting was followed by the ceremonial turnover of a commemorative plaque honoring Captain Conrado D. Yap of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK), one of the Philippines’ most distinguished Korean War heroes. Captain Yap was killed in action on 23 April 1951 while leading a counterattack during the Battle of Yultong to rescue a trapped platoon. For his valor, he was awarded the Philippine Medal of Valor, the United States Distinguished Service Cross, and the Republic of Korea’s Taegeuk Cordon of the Order of Military Merit.

Members of the Yap family were present in Seoul for the ceremony. Ms. Ginger Yap Aganon, granddaughter of Capt. Conrado Yap, also paid tribute to the 7,420 Filipino PEFTOK soldiers whose courage and sacrifice in defense of the Republic of Korea remain an enduring foundation of Philippines–ROK relations during her speech. 

Ambassador Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez also received a book on the life and service of Capt. Conrado Yap, published by the Yap family. The book contains excerpts from Capt. Yap’s letters and photos which were sent during the war and now forms part of the PEFTOK collection of the Sentro Rizal Library of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul.

The commemorative engagement, supported by the Philippine Embassy in Seoul under the leadership of Ambassador Fernandez, forms part of continuing efforts to preserve the shared historical legacy of the Philippines and the Republic of Korea under our Strategic Partnership. Veterans affairs remains an important people-to-people pillar of bilateral relations, honoring the sacrifices of the past while advancing the welfare and dignity of present and future generations of veterans. END