The Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) said on Tuesday it has been selected to implement the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) project to build a national cybersecurity center in the Philippines to strengthen its cyber crisis response capabilities, and has begun work on the project.

The project is a $25.6 million official development assistance programme and will be carried out for four years from the second half of this year through 2029.

The Philippines is strengthening its response system, including by establishing a national cybersecurity plan, to address persistent cyber threats in the public and private sectors. Cooperation has also expanded after the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on digital cooperation, including cybersecurity, following a South Korea-Philippines summit in March.

KISA formed a consortium with Aircuve, Pionlink and Korea Communication Internet Technology to participate in the tender and was finally selected as the implementing agency in May. It signed the contract on June 22.

Together with the consortium companies, KISA will pursue steps including establishing an information security management system, supporting construction of the national cybersecurity center, building a national cyber threat response system, setting up a training system for information security professionals and running programmes to strengthen information security capabilities.

KISA President Sang-jung Lee (이상중) said, "Through this project, we will contribute to strengthening the Philippines' cyber resilience and will actively support outstanding technical capabilities of domestic information security companies so they can expand overseas."