Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said he has asked South Korea to invest in the maritime sector in Indonesia.

In a written statement issued here on Wednesday, Luhut said he met with South Korean Marine and Fisheries Minister Kim Young-choon during his working visit to that country.

He told his Korean counterpart, that the Indonesian government is seeking to clean its seas from plastic garbage.

"We hope for the presence of Korean technology in the project. including in the work to clean the Citarum river, which is known as the most polluted river in the world," he said, adding, there had been no attempt made to clean the river before.

Luhut said he hoped for more Korean technology that could be used in Indonesia. He offered a number of potential investment projects such as development of water tourism and tidal wave wave energy development in eastern Indonesia.

He said the investment projects offered are to bring to reality the Indonesian dream of becoming a nation clean of plastic garbage in its seas and rivers.

Indonesia has been said to be the second largest producer of plastic garbage in the world after China.

"We have started the program of cleaning and processing the garbage to generate power in 8 large cities. Our President wants the program to cover also other cities," he told the Korean Minister.

He said in answer to the offer, the Korean minister promised to see possible cooperation between the two countries.

"I will visit Indonesia to see the possibility of committing cooperation," Minister Kim was quoted as telling Luhut at the meeting.

Luhut also met with South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon and discussed possible Korean investment in the maritime sector in Indonesia.

One topic in the discussion was cooperation in submarine production, he said, adding, Kim expressed his government`s appreciation for the trust given by President Joko Widodo to South Korea to build submarines for Indonesia.

Luhut also asked South Korea to cooperate in the development of aquaculture , tourism and in coast line monitoring especially in the Natuna waters.

He used the occasion to assure Koreans that Bali is safe for tourists despite the repeated eruptions of Mount Agung. He said the eruptions are no longer as intense as before.

"Even if there is eruption , there is no danger beyond the radius of less than 10 kilometers from the volcano crater," he said.

(T.SYS/B/H-ASG/A/O001)

Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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