political dialogue between the respective foreign ministries. The political dialog is accompanied by cooperation in trade and economy, culture, technical assistance, science, academic exchanges, tourism etc. There are between 37,155 and 50,000 Filipino workers in Israel as of 2004. Singapore Singapore and Israel have strong bilateral ties and have enjoyed close relations from the outset. This is in part due to both countries' perceptions of themselves as regional economic powerhouses surrounded by much larger Islamic countries with which they have an uneasy relationship. Following Singapore's sudden and unexpected independence after being unilaterally ejected from Malaysia In 1963, Singapore appealed to the international community for technical assistance and military aid. Israel assisted with the establishment of Singapore's armed forces. Today both countries have extensive economic ties and engage in a high volume of trade, with an emphasis on technology and research and development in the spheres of bio-technology and defense. Israel's national airline El Al does not fly to Singapore as Singapore is located in the region of Indonesia and Malaysia, both of which do not recognise Israel as a state which makes attaining flight rights impossible. Israel has had diplomatic representation in Singapore since its earliest days, with representation formalised in 1968. Singapore is a regional hub for Israeli businesses, while a growing number of members of both business communities seek opportunities for joint ventures in biotechnology, IT and the software industries. Several bilateral agreements provide a solid framework for cooperation in areas such as healthcare, defence, and technological research & development. Most recently, in 1997, a bi-national fund for financing new technological products was set up, an indicator of deepening bilateral relations between both states. Cultural exchanges have been accentuated by encouraging the participation of Israeli artists in international events in Singapore, cultivating a broad interest in Israeli performing arts. The yearly Film Festival has grown to become a cornerstone in the structured framework of activities. In March 2022, Singapore announced that it will open an embassy in Tel Aviv, 53 years after the two nations first established diplomatic relations. South Korea The Republic of Korea and the State of Israel established diplomatic relations on 10 April 1962. Israel opened its embassy in Seoul in April 1968, which was closed by the Israeli government in 1978. The embassy was reopened in January 1992, with Korea opening its resident embassy in Tel Aviv in December 1993. On 23 August 2010