Indonesia strengthens ties with South Korea ahead of APEC Summit

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Foreign Minister Sugiono reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with South Korea during a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Kim Min-seok in Seoul on Thursday.

According to Sugiono’s Instagram account (@menluri), Indonesia and South Korea aim to expand cooperation across multiple sectors, including economic collaboration.

“I conveyed President Prabowo’s message on his commitment to strengthening the Indonesia-South Korea partnership,” the minister said.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that Sugiono also emphasized Indonesia’s support for South Korea in successfully hosting the upcoming APEC Summit in Seoul.

The foreign minister expressed hope that the cooperation with South Korea, which Indonesia considers a “very important partner,” will reach its highest potential.

In response, Prime Minister Kim expressed anticipation for President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to the APEC Summit, scheduled for October 31 to November 1, 2025.

Kim highlighted that the close ties between Indonesia and South Korea extend across various sectors, including defense, energy, and people-to-people exchanges, and he expressed hope that this partnership will continue to expand across all fronts.

Following his meeting with Prime Minister Kim, Sugiono also met with his South Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun. The two foreign ministers reaffirmed their commitment to advancing bilateral cooperation priorities.

During the January–May 2025 period, Indonesia-South Korea trade reached US$7.68 billion, with US$6.99 billion coming from sectors outside oil and gas.

Indonesia’s exports to South Korea totaled US$4.12 billion, while imports amounted to US$3.55 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of US$569.6 million.

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