Participants hold banners promoting mutual respect between Korea and the Philippines during a K-Respect Campaign lunch at the National Assembly in Seoul on Monday. The event, organized by the Seoul-based Sunfull Foundation, welcomed 37 members of the Korea-Philippines Economic Council, led by Chairman Robert Yupangco, as well as members of the National Assembly and Philippine Ambassador to Korea Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega. (Sunfull Foundation)

Business leaders, politicians and diplomats from Korea and the Philippines, attending a meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul on Monday, stressed the importance of mutual cultural understanding and respect between the people of both nations, the event’s organizer said Tuesday.

According to the Seoul-based Sunfull Foundation, the "K-Respect Campaign" event was attended by 37 members of the Korea-Philippines Economic Council, led by Chairman Robert Yupangco, along with lawmakers of the National Assembly and Philippine Ambassador to Korea Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega.

"The K-Respect Campaign, in partnership with the Sunfull Foundation and the Korea-Philippines Economic Council, is a valuable opportunity for both nations to bridge cultural differences,” said Yupangco, who was visiting Seoul leading an economic delegation from the Philippines. “This initiative is particularly meaningful to me, as it reflects the value of 'respect' taught to me by my grandfather, former President Jose P. Laurel."

Philippine Ambassador Dizon-De Vega said that the event “serves as an excellent platform to raise awareness about multicultural families and continuously promote shared values of respect and consideration among businesspeople from both nations."

Monday's event came as Korea discusses wage levels for foreign nannies, following the arrival of the first group of Filipina caregivers earlier this month. The workers were brought in as part of a government program to support child-rearing families.

In attendance were Korean Reps. Song Seok-jun and Lee Yong-sun, who voiced the need to foster the respect of people from diverse backgrounds in Korean society.

Min Byoung-chul, the chairman of the Sunfull Foundation who initiated the K-Respect Campaign, shared the inspiration behind the initiative.

“I have been leading the Sunfull Movement campaign against malicious comments and hate speech online for the past 17 years. Respect is the core value of the Sunfull Movement. … I believe that if we show respect to foreigners living in Korea, our overseas travel and our fellow Koreans living abroad will also be respected in those countries.”