Megawati Hosts South Korean and UAE Ambassadors, Discusses Peace and Strategic Cooperation

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri received a courtesy call from South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia Yoon Soon-gu at her residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Monday, 13 July 2026. The meeting discussed peace efforts regarding issues on the Korean Peninsula. Megawati, who is also the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia, said she once received a mandate as a peace envoy for Korea from South Korean President Kim Dae Jung of the Democratic Party. In carrying out that task, she proposed organising meetings and reunions for families separated by the division of Korea at the Panmunjom demarcation line. She also proposed economic cooperation between the two kindred nations. The current South Korean President, Lee Jae-myung, hails from the same Democratic Party as Kim Dae Jung. According to Megawati, this shared political background naturally presents aligned views on peace efforts and the future of the Korean Peninsula. Ambassador Yoon Soon-gu acknowledged Megawati’s experience in supporting peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula. He stated that this experience serves as a bridge to encourage South Korea and North Korea to resume peaceful dialogue at the negotiating table. He also said the entire meeting would be conveyed to President Lee Jae-myung. During the peace discussion, Yoon Soon-gu also took note of the meeting room, which is part of Megawati’s residence on Jalan Teuku Umar. He felt fortunate to visit and meet directly with the family of the First President of the Republic of Indonesia, Soekarno. Megawati was accompanied by her son, PDIP Chair M. Prananda Prabowo, as well as PDIP Chairs Rokhmin Dahuri and Ahmad Basarah. After receiving the South Korean Ambassador, Megawati also received a courtesy call from the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Indonesia, Abdulla Salem Al Dhaheri. On this occasion, Megawati’s companions included Head of the Party’s Central Research and Policy Analysis Agency Andi Widjajanto and Executive Director of the Megawati Institute Hilmar Farid. Megawati and Ambassador Al Dhaheri share a close relationship, especially following Megawati’s visit to the UAE in early February. The discussion covered not only geopolitical issues related to conflicts in the Middle East but also closer cooperation in various fields. Megawati encouraged cooperation between the UAE Government and the Megawati Institute, including in the areas of religious tolerance, Pancasila, and the study of the thoughts of the founding fathers of both nations. In her capacity as Chair of the BRIN Steering Board, Megawati requested that cooperation between BRIN and the UAE Government be further strengthened, including through mangrove research already underway in Bali.