Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto recently engaged in a pivotal bilateral meeting with Republic of Korea President Lee Jae-myung. The high-level talks took place on the sidelines of the APEC 2025 Summit on Saturday, November 1st, underscoring the enduring commitment of both nations to deepen their strategic partnership across a spectrum of crucial sectors.
A primary focus of their discussion centered on robust defense cooperation. President Prabowo explicitly reiterated Indonesia’s unwavering readiness to advance the collaborative KF-21 fighter jet project, a significant joint endeavor with South Korea. He clarified that negotiations for this ambitious project are actively underway, encompassing detailed technical deliberations between the two parties. “Negotiations are still ongoing,” Prabowo stated, as quoted by the Presidential Secretariat’s Press Bureau, “and of course, negotiations always depend on economic factors, prices, and financing schemes. So, I think our ministers will continue to discuss with your team, and our technical team will also continue this.”
Beyond the critical defense agenda, the two leaders also delved into fostering stronger economic partnerships. President Prabowo highlighted Indonesia’s proactive stance in welcoming South Korean investment. “I met Korean industry and business leaders when they visited Indonesia,” he remarked. “We discussed at length, and we are very open to Korea’s continued participation in our economy. We hope to continue this cooperation.” This statement underscores Indonesia’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for sustained economic collaboration and mutual prosperity.
For his part, President Lee Jae-myung conveyed his profound appreciation for the substantial progress in bilateral defense collaboration, particularly commending the advancements in the next-generation KF-21 fighter jet project. He eloquently connected the close ties between the two nations to the profound historical values forged at the 1955 Asian-African Conference in Bandung. President Lee emphasized, “We have all learned from history that Indonesia led the formation of the Bandung Spirit. And if we look at the key elements of the Bandung Spirit, it is balance, strategic autonomy, cooperation, and pragmatism. And these values are very strong pillars for Korea’s foreign policy.”
President Lee further stressed that the relationship between the Republic of Korea and Indonesia has evolved significantly, now spanning a multitude of strategic sectors. “The Republic of Korea and Indonesia have built cooperation in various fields over a long period,” Lee noted. “We have built cooperation in various fields, for example, in economics, trade and investment, and in defense and security, and we have built this level of cooperation to a very high level.” This comprehensive dialogue reaffirms the robust and expanding nature of the Indonesia-South Korea strategic partnership, poised for continued growth across economic, security, and technological fronts.
Summary
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto met with Republic of Korea President Lee Jae-myung at the APEC 2025 Summit to deepen their strategic partnership. President Prabowo affirmed Indonesia’s commitment to advancing the joint KF-21 fighter jet project, with negotiations ongoing concerning economic and financing aspects. He also emphasized Indonesia’s welcoming stance towards continued South Korean investment.
President Lee Jae-myung expressed appreciation for the significant progress in bilateral defense collaboration, especially regarding the KF-21 project. He highlighted the close ties between the nations and noted that the relationship has expanded into a high level of cooperation across various strategic sectors including economics, trade, investment, defense, and security.