Korea, Indonesia elevate ties to ‘special comprehensive strategic partnership’ - The Korea Herald
Ji Da-gyum
6–8 minutes
President Lee Jae Myung (right) shakes hands with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto during their summit talks at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Wednesay. (Yonhap)
South Korea and Indonesia elevated ties to a "special comprehensive strategic partnership" on Wednesday — the first of its kind for both countries — as they moved to deepen cooperation in future growth sectors such as critical minerals, shipbuilding and advanced technologies.
The outcome came as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto held their third summit at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday during Prabowo’s first state visit to South Korea at Lee’s invitation.
This marks the first time either South Korea or Indonesia has entered into a special comprehensive strategic partnership. The two countries formed a special strategic partnership in 2017, upgrading from a strategic partnership established in 2006 after forging diplomatic ties in 1973.
The upgrade of bilateral ties aims to "promote substantive strengthening of cooperation not only in advancing trade, investment, and defense and defense industry cooperation," senior presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a press statement.
Kang further explained that the upgrade also seeks to expand cooperation in new growth sectors such as advanced technologies, including AI, infrastructure, shipbuilding, nuclear power, energy transition, and cultural and creative industries."
President Lee Jae Myung and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto hold expanded summit talks at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday. (Yonhap)
Following the summit, Seoul and Jakarta issued a joint statement on the special comprehensive strategic partnership.
In the statement, Lee and Prabowo notably tasked their foreign ministers with establishing a new bilateral strategic dialogue mechanism — a "special comprehensive strategic dialogue" — to coordinate and oversee cooperation across various fields and underscored their commitment to convene the dialogue on an annual basis.
"The two leaders expressed their strong commitment to enhancing cooperation in strategic economic sectors that contribute to mutual economic growth and the long-term development of both countries," the statement read.
These sectors include advanced manufacturing; automobiles, including electric vehicles and the battery ecosystem; steel; machinery; semiconductors; critical minerals and rare earth elements; and the shipbuilding and maritime industries.
Kang noted in a separate written briefing issued later in the day that Seoul and Jakarta had revised the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Critical Mineral Partnership.
Kang elucidated that the revision aims to "establish an institutional framework to strengthen supply chain cooperation with Indonesia, which holds abundant reserves of key minerals essential for South Korea’s strategic industries, including secondary batteries, as the world’s largest producer of nickel and the second-largest producer of cobalt."
The two leaders also "resolved to actively identify and advance concrete cooperative projects in the shipbuilding sector," Kang added.
Seoul and Jakarta also newly signed or updated 16 memorandums of understanding aimed at institutionalizing cooperation across strategic sectors, digital development, AI-based health care, clean energy and carbon capture, intellectual property protection and strategic financing.
President Lee Jae Myung and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto hold a closed-door one-on-one plus aides meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on Wenesday. (Cheong Wa Dae via Yonhap)
In his opening remarks at the summit, Lee underlined, "We have achieved the historic milestone of upgrading our relationship to a special comprehensive strategic partnership — the only one of its kind that the Republic of Korea maintains," referring to South Korea by its official name.
"I find this deeply meaningful. I am confident that today’s summit will demonstrate why our bilateral relationship is special, while at the same time providing important momentum to further deepen and elevate it."
Lee emphasized Indonesia’s role as a "stable supplier of key energy resources, including LNG (liquefied natural gas) and coal" during the summit, which came as South Korea was making all-out efforts to mitigate energy shocks stemming from the Middle East war.
"There is a strong need to further expand cooperation between our two countries on resource security to minimize the impact of this crisis on our economies and the livelihoods of our people."
Sharing the sentiment, Prabowo said, "It is regrettable that my state visit comes at a time of rising global uncertainty."
"That is precisely why I believe relations between Korea and Indonesia are becoming even more important. We must continue to deepen and expand our partnership," Prabowo told Lee through an interpreter.
President Lee Jae Myung (right) welcomes Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto upon his arrival for a state visit at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday. (Cheong Wa Dae via Yonhap)
Lee also noted that "our two countries are very special to each other."
Lee portrayed Indonesia as a long-standing strategic partner for South Korea — from hosting the country’s first overseas investment to becoming a key partner in the defense industry and a growing base for Korean electric vehicle production.
Lee referred to South Korea’s first overseas investment in Kalimantan in 1968; defense exports including FA-50 light combat aircraft, T-50 trainer jets and submarines; ongoing discussions over the supply of 16 KF-21s, South Korea’s first homegrown fighter jets; and Hyundai Motor’s local production of the Ioniq 5 in Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, West Java.
"President Prabowo and I seek to create many more future-oriented projects that will bring even greater benefits to the people of our two countries, building on the successful results of our cooperation so far," Lee said. "I look forward to seeing what achievements the next steps we take together with Indonesia will bring."
The visit marked Prabowo’s second trip to South Korea, following last year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and his third meeting with Lee since their first two summits — at the Korea-ASEAN summit in October and the APEC summit in November last year.
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South Korea and Indonesia elevated ties to a "special comprehensive strategic partnership" on Wednesday — the first of its kind for both countries —
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