Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

“Thanking the Korean Army for helping with reconstruction in the Philippines”

 
 
In the afternoon on February 25, local time, Philippine President Benigno Aquino visited the Araw unit (joint support group for the Philippine) in operation of a recovery mission in Tanawan city, Leyte, and encouraged them, expressing his gratitude.

President Aquino greeted Colonel Lee Cheol-won, the commander of the Araw unit, saying “thank you” in Korean as he arrived, and added, “I have already thanked President Park Guen-hye last time we met for the dispatch of the Araw unit to The Philippines, and now once again, I would like to express my gratitude to the Korean government and Korean people as well.”

He drew the public attention as he especially chose the Tanawan central elementary school for his first visit to the scene of typhoon damage where the Araw unit had completed rebuilding.

President Aquino invited Korean soldiers including the commander of the Araw unit and rewarded their labor by looking around the school with them.

“It is meaningful in that the head of the Philippine government who requested dispatch to Korea selected the school as his first visit, reflecting a positive evaluation of the Araw unit’s activities,” said an Araw unit official.

The unit has recovered two elementary schools, one hospital, one orphanage, and two houses for war veterans so far and is going to restore more than 50 schools, orphanages, nursing schools and hospitals by December.

By Byung-Lyuen, Kim < lyuen@dema.mil.kr >
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