According to reports, President Lee Jae Myung and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto engaged in discussions aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in various sectors during their summit in Seoul.
The presidential office mentioned that the topics covered during the meeting included defense, arms, trade, and investment, as well as emerging areas of collaboration such as artificial intelligence (AI), infrastructure, shipbuilding, nuclear power, energy transition, and cultural and creative industries.
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Subianto's three-day state visit to Korea included a summit that took place during his visit which lasted until Thursday.
This meeting follows a previous encounter between the two leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, last year.
During the upcoming summit, Cheong Wa Dae announced that the Seoul-Jakarta relationship will be advanced to a distinguished comprehensive strategic partnership, replacing the existing special strategic partnership initiated in 2017.
In the meantime, Subianto was awarded the Order of Mugunghwa, the highest honor bestowed in Korea, in acknowledgment of his efforts in facilitating the operations of Korean businesses in Indonesia and fostering amicable relations between the two nations.
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Conversely, the discussions are anticipated to center on enhancing collaboration within the defense industry, with a specific emphasis on the joint advancement of the KF-21 fighter aircraft, a project that Lee has portrayed as an exemplary demonstration of international defense partnership.
South Korea is set to finalize an agreement for the export of 16 KF-21 jets to Indonesia, representing the nation's inaugural foreign sale of domestically-produced fighter aircraft.
According to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung, it is anticipated that they will also address methods to enhance South Korea's partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as broader security and global matters, such as the Korean Peninsula and the Middle East.
Indonesia, an important member of ASEAN boasting the fourth-largest population globally and possessing vast natural resources, is viewed as a crucial strategic ally for South Korea.
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Seoul and Jakarta established a collaborative endeavor in 2015 aimed at advancing the development of a fighter jet. Jakarta's commitment entailed providing approximately 20 percent of the project's funding in return for the transfer of technology.
Challenges arose as payments faced delays on multiple occasions, prompting both parties to revisit the terms of their agreement. Consequently, Indonesia's financial contribution was renegotiated to one-third of the original sum, accompanied by a reduction in the extent of technology transfer originally stipulated.