Indonesian Economic Minister Strengthens Bilateral Ties with South Korea and Japan

Seoul, INTI – From May 20 to May 22, 2024, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto embarked on a working visit to the Republic of Korea to enhance bilateral relations and economic cooperation between the two nations. During his visit, Minister Airlangga held meetings with several South Korean business leaders, including the CEO of LG CNS to discuss data center management consulting services and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the CEO of Hyundai Motor Group to explore hydrogen project development, and the Chairman of Lotte Chemical regarding the establishment of a local downstream petrochemical industry.

In recognition of his personal and professional contributions to strengthening strategic partnerships between Indonesia and South Korea, Minister Airlangga was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Gyeongsang National University (GNU). Additionally, he held a bilateral meeting with South Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) Ahn Duk Geun to discuss industrial cooperation, trade, and energy transition.

Following his engagements in South Korea, Minister Airlangga traveled to Japan to represent President Joko Widodo at the Nikkei Forum 2024 in Tokyo, themed “The Future of Asia 2024.” This annual international conference, organized by Nikkei Inc. since 1995, is regarded as one of Asia's most significant global conferences, where political, economic, and academic leaders from the Asia-Pacific region share their insights on regional issues and Asia's role in the world.

The forum will feature speeches from political leaders and a series of panel discussions with experts from various fields. Topics to be addressed include regional cooperation for building a digital ecosystem, Asia's efforts to achieve carbon neutrality, and the roles of Japan, the United States, and South Korea in regional security in Northeast Asia. Furthermore, Japan and ASEAN will formulate a decade-long strategy during the Nikkei Forum, which also serves as a prestigious global opinion platform.

The Nikkei Forum 2024 will commence with a Commemorative Dinner attended by global leaders, including Minister Airlangga representing President Joko Widodo, and opened with remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Other notable attendees include Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai, Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, as well as numerous Chairmen and CEOs of major corporations and Professors from renowned universities worldwide.