South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto affirmed strengthened cooperation in areas including clean energy, defense, and critical minerals during Subianto’s state visit to Seoul on Thursday. The leaders signed 10 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) as geopolitical tensions rise in the Middle East.
Strengthening Ties Amidst Global Uncertainty
Footage showed Prabowo Subianto arriving at the Blue House, where he was greeted by President Lee and a guard of honour.
“We have opened up the skies of our two countries through the successful completion of our Fighter Aircraft joint Development project, I hope to strengthen cooperation in shipbuilding so our two countries can rise together as global maritime powers,” President Lee said during a joint press conference.
Both leaders confirmed the joint strike fighter project, KF-21, remains on track for completion in June 2026 and agreed to pursue a follow-up project, IF-21. Discussions also included potential KF-21 sales to Indonesia.
Energy and Technological Collaboration
“We will strengthen cooperation linking Indonesia’s big data and Korea’s AI technology to create synergies as we pursue an AI universal basic society,” Lee added.
Prabowo Subianto oversaw the signing of 10 MoUs covering strategic dialogue, critical minerals, offshore industry services, intellectual property protection, and financial cooperation.
“I am confident that these milestones will deliver meaningful and lasting benefits to our peoples, while further strengthening the bonds that unite us. We have many similarities in our history, and we have common interests,” Prabowo stated.
President Lee highlighted Indonesia’s reliability in energy supplies, specifically liquefied natural gas (LNG), during a period of global geopolitical uncertainty.
“My state visit here takes place at a time when the world situation is full of uncertainty and danger. This makes relations between countries like Indonesia and Korea even more important,” Prabowo said. Lee added that strengthening the economic partnership between the two countries is crucial to minimizing the impact of the current crisis.
The current disruptions to energy supplies follow joint strikes by the US and Israel on Iran on February 28, and subsequent retaliatory attacks by Tehran on assets in the region, impacting key maritime routes like the Strait of Hormuz.
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