Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, right, and his South Korean counterpart Park Geun-hye greet children waving the two countries’ national flags during a welcoming ceremony at the presidential house in Seoul, South Korea. AP
SEOUL, Philippines — South Korean President Park Gyeun-hye expressed on Thursday, her condolences and “deepest regret” over the loss of lives and destruction of properties in the powerful earthquake that struck parts of Visayas and Bohol last Tuesday as she welcomed President Aquino who arrived here for a two-day state visit.
President Park also wished for the immediate recovery of the areas badly affected by the quake as she congratulated Aquino for his administration’s handling of the Zamboanga City siege in September.
Cebu and Bohol, the hardest-hit provinces in the Visayas, are the favorite destinations of Korean tourists, the top foreign visitors in the Philippines for the past six years.
“It brings comfort (to know that) we are not alone in facing this problem,” the President said in a short ceremony at the Blue House, the office of South Korea’s chief executive.
The President also thanked South Korea for extending humanitarian assistance during the attack by the Moro National Liberation Front gunmen in Zamboanga crisis, which left over 200 dead and displaced more than 100,000 residents of five coastal villages in Zamboanga.
Accompanied by some of his Cabinet members, Aquino landed at the Seoul Air Base at exactly 12:59 p.m. (11:59 a.m. Manila time) aboard a chartered Philippine Airlines flight from Manila.
He was welcomed by Philippine ambassador to Korea Luis Cruz and senior Korean officials led by second vice minister of foreign affairs Cho Tae-yul and Korean ambassador to the Philippines Lee Hyuk.
Philippine officials said Aquino’s state visit was aimed at fostering better trade relations and defense cooperation between the Philippines and South Korea.
The President is the first head of state to make a state visit in Korea since President Park was elected into office last February.
With the President were Senate President Franklin Drilon, Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma and Presidential Management Staff chief Julia Abad.
Upon his arrival, Aquino immediately proceeded to the Memorial Tower of the Seoul National Cemetery and led a wreath-laying ceremony honoring hundreds of Koreans who died in the Korean war in the 1950s.
Mr. Aquino then proceeded to the Blue House, Korea’s seat of power, and attended a summit talk with President Park and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation between the two nations.
President Park also hosted a state dinner for the President at the Banquet Hall of the State Guest House.