Seoul, Jakarta celebrate 50 years of relations

Sporting the traditional Indonesian Batik dress, top policymakers, corporate executives and stars of Indonesia and Korea celebrated the 50th anniversary of Indonesia-Korea relations and the 78th anniversary of Indonesian Independence in...

Korean and Indonesian celebrities, corporate executives and policymakers celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and Indonesia's 78th anniversary of its Independence Day at the Lotte Hotel in central Seoul on Thursday. Cutting the cake together are Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security affairs Mohammad Mahfud MD, fifth from right; Indonesian Ambassador to Korea Gandi Sulistiyanto and his wife, center; Bank of Korea Chairman Rhee Chang-yong, third from right; People Power Party leader Kim Gi-hyeon, fourth from left; Dita Karang, Indonesian singer and member of Secret Number, far right; and Choi Si-won, Korean singer and member of boy band Super Junior, far left. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Sporting the traditional Indonesian Batik dress, top policymakers, corporate executives and stars of Indonesia and Korea celebrated the 50th anniversary of Indonesia-Korea relations and the 78th anniversary of Indonesian Independence in Seoul on Thursday.

“It’s my pleasure to be here on this meaningful day,” said Choi Si-won, Korean singer and member of boy band Super Junior, in addressing the full-house audience at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Thursday.

Choi has been serving as the honorary ambassador to promote the 50th anniversary of Korea and Indonesia relations this year, with Dita Karang, Indonesian singer and member of girl group Secret Number.

Karang sang the Indonesian national anthem before the audience that included Bank of Korea Chairman Rhee Chang-yong, People Power Party leader Kim Gi-hyeon, Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security affairs Mohammad Mahfud MD and Indonesian Ambassador to Korea Gandi Sulistiyanto.

“It is very interesting that the Independence Day of Indonesia and that of Korea is only two days apart: August 15th in Korea and August 17th in Indonesia,” said Mahfud in his speech. “It seems the two countries were destined to become close friends from the beginning.”

The minister, visiting Korea last week to discuss the latest cooperation on technology and people-to-people ties with his counterparts including the prime minister, heralded like-minded partnership between the two nations.

“I believe that the bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Korea has a solid foundation,” he said. “This is because the two countries have many common values, including on democracy, open economy, peace and human rights, and rules-based order. Such shared values are the basic capital that enables our two countries to cooperate with each other bilaterally, regionally and internationally.”

VIP guests enter the venue for the special reception to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Korea and Indonesia's 78th anniversary of its Independence Day at the Lotte Hotel in central Seoul on Thursday. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Indonesia is the only Asean member state to have a special strategic partnership with Korea, established between the two countries during their presidential summit in Indonesia in November 2017.

In addition to their joint production on KF-21 fighter jets, the two countries have also expanded their cooperation on supply chains for key natural resources on semiconductors.

Hyundai Motor opened its first factory in Indonesia last year, which was also the conglomerate’s first manufacturing plant in Southeast Asia. Hyundai also released the Ioniq 5 Batik edition last month, with designs inspired by Batik, the Indonesian tradition of designing fabric with wax and dye.

During a national shortage of urea in Korea in 2021, largely due to China’s export restrictions at the time, Indonesia was one of several countries that expanded their supply of the key industrial material to Korea.

Leaders of two countries have also pledged to work together on Indonesia's plan to relocate its capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan.

“Many Korean businesses have shown their interest in investing in the new capital Ibu Kota Nusantara, or the IKN,” said Ambassador Sulistiyanto in addressing the audience at the reception at the Lotte Hotel on Thursday. “With this enthusiasm, many people even perceive the IKN as Indonesia-Korea Network. Well, it could be true!”

The two nations’ Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement also went into effect starting Jan. 1 this year.

Indonesia gained its independence from the Dutch Empire in 1949, after starting its war of independence on Aug. 17, 1945. It established diplomatic ties with Korea at the ambassadorial level in September 1973.

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]