President Yoon Suk Yeol exchanged congratulatory letters with President of the Philippines Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. on March 3, the day of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and the Philippines. The Philippines is the first among ASEAN countries and the fifth in the world to establish diplomatic relations with Korea. During the Korean War, the country dispatched 7,420 soldiers, the largest among Asian countries.

In his congratulatory letter, President Yoon emphasized that Korea and the Philippines have a strong and deep-rooted history of fighting together for freedom and democracy, and conveyed warm congratulations to President Marcos and the people of the Philippines. President Yoon expressed hope that the bilateral relations that have developed over the past 75 years in a range of areas, including trade, people-to-people exchanges, and development cooperation, would make another leap forward through the elevation of bilateral relations to a "Strategic Partnership." President Yoon also hoped that the Korea-Philippines Free Trade Agreement (FTA), an important milestone in economic cooperation between the two countries, would enter into force this year, leading to a significant increase in bilateral trade and investment.

In his congratulatory letter, President Marcos extended congratulations on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, and assessed that the two countries have shared a long-standing and dynamic partnership since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1949. He also hoped that the bilateral relations that have advanced in various fields, starting from solidarity for freedom and democracy during the Korean War, would continue to develop in a future-oriented manner. President Marcos also voiced expectation that the upgrade of relations to a "Strategic Partnership" along with the entry into force of the FTA will open fresh avenues for growth in digitalization, science and technology, maritime cooperation, climate change, and energy.