Ibas affirms strategic partnership and parliamentary diplomacy with South Korea
We are confident that together, Indonesia and South Korea can build a stronger, more impactful partnership that brings real benefits to the people of both countries.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Chairman of the MPR RI, Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono (Ibas), held a national diplomacy meeting at the National Assembly of South Korea with the Deputy Chairman of the South Korean Parliament, Lee Hack-young, members of parliament, and the Chairman of the South Korean Bilateral Cooperation Group for Indonesia.
The meeting, which took place on Thursday (23/4), was accompanied by representatives from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in South Korea, as well as a delegation of MPR RI and DPR RI members, as part of efforts to strengthen relations between the parliaments of both countries.
In his remarks, he expressed appreciation for the warm welcome from the South Korean parliament. He affirmed that this visit is a follow-up to previous meetings, including the visit of the Chairman of the South Korean National Assembly, Woo Won-shik, to Indonesia a few months ago.
He emphasised that both countries play important roles as members of the G20 and APEC in promoting democracy, green economy, and world peace.
Ibas also affirmed that the relationship between Indonesia and South Korea, which has been established for more than five decades, is built on the basis of mutual respect, trust, and shared values. Since the era of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, cooperation between the two countries has continued to develop in various sectors, from trade, investment, education, to defence.
Furthermore, Edhie Baskoro highlighted the importance of continuity in bilateral relations under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto and President Lee Jae-myung, which is seen as opening up great opportunities for strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries.
In the forum, this DPR RI member from the East Java VII electoral district also introduced the Indonesian delegation consisting of MPR RI and DPR RI members across commissions, which handle foreign affairs, defence, economy, energy, to creative industries.
Edhie affirmed that Indonesia and South Korea have complementary strengths. Indonesia with its natural resource power, demographic bonus, and cultural diversity, while South Korea excels in technology, innovation, and global cultural influence or Hallyu.
According to him, the relationship between the two countries is not limited to government-to-government cooperation, but also includes business relations, parliamentary relations, and people-to-people contacts. “Collaboration is not just about policy, but also about culture and human connections,” he stated.
Edhie Baskoro also mentioned the strong influence of Korean culture in Indonesia, from K-pop to Korean dramas such as Autumn in My Heart and Crash Landing on You, which strengthen the emotional closeness of the people of both countries.
Conversely, Indonesia is also committed to promoting national culture such as batik, typical cuisine, and traditional arts to the South Korean people. The meeting took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere, interspersed with smiles and laughter when Ibas mentioned that he had also been a viewer of the series Autumn in My Heart.
As a symbol of friendship, the Indonesian delegation also presented souvenirs in the form of batik and woven fabrics, which represent the philosophy of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika or unity in diversity.
Ibas concluded the meeting by affirming Indonesia’s commitment to continue strengthening bilateral relations with South Korea.
“We are confident that together, Indonesia and South Korea can build a stronger, more impactful partnership that brings real benefits to the people of both countries. Gamsahamnida. Thank you,” he said.
From the South Korean side, Deputy Chairman of the Parliament Lee Hack-young expressed appreciation for Ibas’s active role in strengthening relations between the two countries through parliamentary diplomacy. He affirmed that Indonesia and South Korea have built close cooperation in various fields for more than five decades, and welcomed the enhancement of the relationship status to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
He also encouraged strengthening economic cooperation through the Indonesia-Korea CEPA (IK-CEPA), with a target to increase trade volume from around 20 billion US dollars to more than 30 billion US dollars in the future. He also appreciated Indonesia’s role as a leader in ASEAN and a strategic partner of South Korea, including in realising peace on the Korean Peninsula.
In addition, he hoped that cooperation in the energy, industry, high technology, and investment sectors could continue to be enhanced, with support for the smooth operations of Korean companies in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Kim Gihyeon, as Chairman of the Korea-Indonesia Parliamentary Friendship Association, stated that relations between Indonesia and Korea will become even deeper over time and open up opportunities for cooperation in more fields. He also shared his experience of visiting Indonesia last March, where he hoped for greater support for Korean entrepreneurs who have and will invest in Indonesia.