South Korean Ambassador Lee Sang-hwa mentioned at a security forum on Friday that a Visiting Forces Agreement was “on the table” and under consideration – though the country’s embassy in Manila later clarified that no formal progress had been made.

Analysts see this as a reflection of South Korea’s cautious approach to strengthening alliances while managing regional pressures.

Joshua Espeña from the International Development and Security Cooperation think tank said that the Philippines was eager to elevate its relationship with South Korea to a strategic partnership.

Manila previously treated the East Asian nation “purely as a source of defence procurement”, Espeña told This Week in Asia, but now “the Philippines hopes to upgrade its relations with Seoul as a strategic partner like Australia and Japan”.