Indonesia and South Korea Strengthen Collaboration to Enhance Digital Transformation and Industrial Development

INTI- Jakarta,  Indonesia and South Korea have maintained close diplomatic relations for 50 years. Both countries actively engage in bilateral cooperation across various sectors including industry, politics, socio-cultural exchange, education, economy, labor, and even military and defense.

In their joint efforts to address the era of digital transformation, Indonesia and South Korea have agreed to collaborate in enhancing the readiness of competent human resources, particularly in the field of Industry 4.0. An example of this collaboration is the partnership between Indonesia's Digital Industry Center 4.0 (PIDI 4.0) under the Ministry of Industry and the Born2Global Center, an agency under the Ministry of Science and ICT of South Korea (MSIT).

"In this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), start-ups with deep technology are the main target for development, both through joint ventures and other cooperation programs. We are delighted that with this collaborative spirit, both PIDI 4.0 and Born2Global are willing to provide facilities for start-ups from both countries," said Masrokhan, the Head of the Human Resources Development Agency for Industry (BPSDMI) at the Ministry of Industry, during the MoU signing ceremony in Jakarta on Tuesday (June 6).

Masrokhan further explained that the collaboration also includes organizing events from both countries with the aim of increasing investment, expanding markets, and fostering mutually beneficial collaboration. For instance, knowledge sharing focusing on digital technology, technology ecosystems, private equity, venture capital investment, and joint programs carried out by both parties. "This knowledge sharing will take the form of workshops, webinars, and business matching," he added.

According to Masrokhan, PIDI 4.0 of the Ministry of Industry envisions itself as a one-stop solution for the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in the industrial sector and a gateway to the world. PIDI 4.0 has five main functions, namely a showcase center, capability center, Industry 4.0 ecosystem, delivery center, and engineering and AI center. "These functions support the manufacturing industry in Indonesia and involve deep technology start-ups in their implementation," he emphasized.

Born2Global Center was established with the goal of accelerating technology start-ups to become global innovators. Through various programs initiated since 2013, Born2Global has supported the development of 2,962 start-ups to enter the global market.

Meanwhile, the National Research Council (NRC) of South Korea and the Ministry of Industry of Indonesia have been collaborating since 2018 through an MoU on Cooperation Activities related to Industry 4.0. To implement these collaborative activities, a joint subcommittee was formed for the implementation of cooperation activities related to Industry 4.0. One of the institutions under the coordination of the NRC involved in this cooperation is the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) of South Korea.

"For the past two years, STEPI has collaborated with the Ministry of Industry on the development of PIDI 4.0. After conducting a study last year, this year marks the follow-up to the study's results. STEPI has connected with other institutions, one of which is Born2Global," explained Masrokhan.

CEO of Born2Global, Jongkap Kim, expressed appreciation for the collaboration that has been established. "The industrial and start-up development in Indonesia is remarkable. Indonesia has the potential to become the next world's top high-growth country. We do not want to miss the opportunity to collaborate," he said.

Kim further stated that Born2Global will continue its programs in various countries. "In the future, Born2Global will have special projects related to zero-carbon emissions, community factories, and other initiatives," he concluded. ***.Hans