President Prabowo arrives in Seoul, enthusiastically welcomed by Indonesian diaspora

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The arrival of President Prabowo Subianto in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday (31/3) night, as part of a state visit to strengthen bilateral cooperation, was enthusiastically welcomed by hundreds of Indonesian expatriates. The Head of State’s arrival at his hotel was warmly received by Indonesian citizens who had been waiting since the afternoon, including two children dressed in traditional attire who presented a bouquet of flowers as a welcome gesture. “Earlier, he asked me where I was studying, and he also encouraged me to complete my studies,” said Khairul, a postgraduate student at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Seoul, quoted from the Presidential Secretariat’s Press, Media, and Information Bureau on Wednesday. Khairul expressed pride in having a brief conversation with the President, which provided him with additional motivation to finish his education in South Korea. In a similar vein, Pujianti, a doctoral student at Seoul National University from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), felt moved by the opportunity to meet the national leader directly at her place of study. “To be honest, I am very proud because I come from NTT, where it is very difficult to go to Jakarta to see Mr President, but I was able to meet him here,” said Pujianti. Meanwhile, Rima, an Indonesian expatriate who has long resided in South Korea, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to welcome the President through an invitation from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI). Rima hopes that this state visit will strengthen diplomatic relations between the two countries, providing broad benefits to communities in both Indonesia and South Korea. “I hope that the friendship between Indonesia and Korea will be further strengthened,” said Rima.