Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said after meeting with visiting President Moon Jae-in and delegation here on Thursday that they had discussed agreement to step up the two countries partnership to become special and strategic partnership with emphasis on industrialization acceleration in Indonesia.
At the joint press conference, President Jokowi said this visit was the first by President Moon Jae-in to an ASEAN member country and "so it should certainly be understood as a strong commitment of President Moon to continue to increase the two countries bilateral relations."
President Jokowi described his meeting with President Moon as being very warm, friendly, open and productive.
On the occasion he hailed an increase in South Korean investment in the country that almost doubled in the first semester of this year.
"We will continue to increase the trade that has jumped 19.3 percent in the first semester of 2017," he said.
Jokowi said cooperation in the creative industry that has been discussed by the two countries during his visit to South Korea in 2016 would also be followed up by, among other things, the opening of Korean Creative Content Agency in 2016.
President Jokowi expressed appreciation to South Korea with regard to Indonesian migrant workers there and trusted them especially those working in the fishery sector, to President Moon.
President Moon admitted that he shared common view with President Jokowi with regard to prioritizing people and tolerant economic development.
"Based on the common view our visit this time has really given us a good opportunity to build mutual confidence between the President and I. I am convinced the trust would become strong foundation for the growth of bilateral relations between the two countries," he said.
President Moon considered the cooperation that had been carried out by the two countries so far as having been good especially in the fields of human rights protection, democracy and economy.
"For the future we agreed to step up the two countries" bilateral relations into special strategic partnership to contribute to the framework of ASEAN cooperation, peace and prosperity across Asia," he said.
Based on it, he said, Indonesia and South Korea have agreed to cooperate in four fields.
Firstly, the two countries agreed to strengthen strategic cooperation in the field of security.
"The two countries also agreed to deepen cooperation in the defense industry including next generation fighter jet joint development," he said.
Secondly, the two countries would strengthen economic cooperation based on tolerant economic growth that prioritized people more.
"We have agreed to increase trade to US$30 billion by 2022 or double the current level," he said.
President Moon said the two countries would also prioritize infrastructure cooperation including water management, transportation and electricity.
Indonesia and South Korea have also agreed to increase cooperation in the automotive sector, tourism, content industry, green energy and environment.
"With the understanding that healthy small and medium businesses (UMKM) would boost family income the two countries would jointly seek ways to support UMKM," he said.
Thirdly, the two countries would expand exchange of community members to strengthen relations between the two countries.
The fourth is strengthening cooperation at regional and global levels and in view of that President Moon has asked for full support from President Jokowi so that his policy to strengthen ASEAN member countries could be realized.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
