DOT Sec. Ma. Esperanza Christina Codilla-Frasco – Photo courtesy of Jess M. Escaros Jr./Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is enhancing security for South Korean visitors in the Philippines, officials said Friday.
The announcement followed a meeting between DOT representatives and South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism during the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026 in Cebu City.
DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco said South Koreans remain one of the country’s top tourist groups, prompting efforts to maintain the Philippines as a safe destination.
Plans include training tourist-oriented police to speak Korean to improve communication in major tourist areas such as Cebu, Boracay, Palawan, Davao, Bohol, and Clark.
Korean-speaking personnel are also stationed at the Tourist Assistance Call Center (TACC) to provide immediate support to visitors.
“Considering how much South Koreans have loved the Philippines, and that love is certainly mutual, we do view with grave concern the travel alerts that are given to our tourist destinations… We express our government’s unequivocal position on prioritizing the safety and welfare of our tourists,” Frasco said.
The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) reported that South Korea was the Philippines’ top inbound market in 2024 with more than 1.76 million arrivals, and business missions in Korea are expected to generate over P500 million in tourism sales.