SoKor donates 50,000 face masks for Korean War veterans in PH

PASIG CITY, May 23 (PIA) -- In line with the celebration of the 77th Anniversary of the Korean War, the Republic of Korea, represented by South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-man, donated 50,000 pieces of face masks as needed medical support to Korean War veterans amidst the ongoing Coronavirus 2019 pandemic.

Ambassador Han Dong-man formally turned over the face masks to Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary for Civil, Veterans and Retiree Affairs Reynaldo B. Mapagu, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) Administrator Ernesto G. Carolina, and officers and members of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) Veterans Association, Inc. on May 22, 2020 at the PVAO Covered Court.

Ambassador Han said the donation demonstrates the strong and solid partnership between Korea and the Philippines. "I want to reiterate once again that today’s Korea will not enjoy this democracy, and economic prosperity without the sacrifices and contribution of the Korean War veterans," he added.

Mapagu expressed the government and the veterans's gratitude to South Korea for the generous donation which he acknolwedged as beneficial in this trying time.

Meanwhile, Carolina thanked the Korean Government and higlighted the enduring friendship between South Korea and the Philippines.

"Although our faces are covered today, it will not hide our pride and the appreciation that we feel today. Pride because auspiciously, we are commemorating the 77th year of the Korean War and we know that the Korean War spawned enduring friendships among nations, particularly, between Korea and the countries that responded to the call of the United Nations during those critical times," Carolina said.

The Philippines was the first Asian country to respond to the call of United Nations to help South Korea during the Korean War. Philippines answered by sending in 7,420 Filipino soldiers collectively known as PEFTOK to aid in the fighting.

The Philippines gave up 112 of her sons, with 16 missing in the process. Since then, the people of South Korea have established strong diplomatic ties with the Philippines for answering the call of a friend in need of help. (PVAO/PIA-NCR)

News Feed:

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1042683
Latest News | Philippine Information Agency