Aquino keen on learning South Korean language

Manila: President Benigno Aquino expressed his desire to learn Hanyu (Hangugeo or Gugeo), a language spoken by South Koreans, in the shortest period of time.

During the inauguration of the Korean Memorial Hall for the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (Peftok), the Filipinos who fought in the Korean War and helped in the reconstruction of South Korea after the war, Aquino lauded Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) president Paterno Viloria who spoke Hanyu fluently.

"Perhaps I should ask him how one [can] study Korean in [the] most expedient manner and by which method," Aquino said during the unveiling of the memorial hall's dedication marker.

Aquino did not indicate whether Grace Lee, the South Korean national working as a radio and TV host in the Philippines and who he is reported to be dating, will help him learn the language.

Lee Hye-min, South Korean ambassador to the Philippines, was present when Aquino expressed his desire to learn Hanyu.

The two-storey memorial was built with funding from the Korean Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, through the Embassy of Korea in the Philippines. Its museum highlights the role of the Philippine contingent during the Korean war.

In his speech, Aquino said: "This memorial hall is a testament to the bravery and the sacrifice of those who took the burden of war on their shoulders so that a people might be free. Here, we remember the men of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea. Here, we look back on a shining moment in our history, and we are reminded of the special bonds that have tied our fate to that of the Korean people for more than sixty years."

The memorial hall is a "reminder of the strong bond between the Philippines and South Korea," Aquino added.

He boasted that his late father Benigno Aquino Jr, was correspondent who covered the Korean War. Former President Fidel Ramos, a Korean War veteran, attended the event.