Philippines to buy two new South Korean warships for $556M

Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana

The Philippines has ordered two new warships from South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Tuesday, modernising Manila's navy as it faces a dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea.

The Philippine Navy had become run down in recent decades -- even featuring US craft from World War II -- until President Rodrigo Duterte's predecessor, Benigno Aquino, began a modest modernisation programme in 2010.

Tuesday's 28 billion pesos ($556 million) deal with the South Korean shipbuilding giant comes five years after the firm also won a contract to build two new frigates for the Philippine Navy.

Corvettes and frigates are small, fast warships mainly used to protect other vessels from attack.