By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
In a formal ceremony at Malacañang on Tuesday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. welcomed the new ambassadors of Norway and the Republic of Korea to the Philippines.
His Excellency Kristian Netland, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Norway to the Republic of the Philippines, was the first to present his credentials to the President, expressing optimism about exploring new areas of cooperation between the two countries.
President Marcos Jr. addressed the Norwegian envoy, “We are happy to count Norway as a friend of the Philippines, and we look forward to all that we will do to strengthen that relationship and to [deepen] the engagements between our two countries,” President Marcos Jr. said.
For his part, Netland said the Philippines and Norway have enjoyed many decades of friendship “founded on trust, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to peace, democracy, and international cooperation.”
He cited opportunities to deepen cooperation in the maritime sector, trade, investment, education, innovation, sustainable growth, and the green transition: “As both our countries pursue sustainable growth and the green transition, I believe there are substantial opportunities to expand cooperation and create new partnerships that benefit our peoples.”
In a separate engagement, His Excellency Lee Dong-gy likewise presented his letters of credence to President Marcos Jr. as the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of the Philippines.
The President addressed the new South Korean envoy, “As we know, the relations between our two countries have been very, very strong and very, very close for many, many years… I look forward to the work that we will do here together in the time you have here in Manila and in the Philippines as Ambassador.”
In response, Lee underscored the importance of sustaining the momentum of bilateral ties between Seoul and Manila, anchored on a longstanding friendship that continues to expand and bear fruit, especially under the latter’s chairship of ASEAN 2026.
Lee told President Marcos Jr., “As Ambassador, I will devote my utmost efforts to further strengthening this important relationship and to expanding our cooperation in ways that will bring tangible benefits to both our peoples,” he said.
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