President Joko Widodo of Indonesia is scheduled to make a state visit to Korea September 9-11 at the invitation of President Moon Jae-in.

Indonesia is a key partner for the Korean Government’s priority of the New Southern Policy. Housing the ASEAN Secretariat, Indonesia is the largest economy (approximately US$1 trillion in GDP) and the most populous country (roughly 260 million people as of 2017) among ASEAN member states. In addition, Indonesia recently dispatched special envoys to both South and North Korea and, as host of the 2018 Jakarta Palembang Asian Games, cooperated on the participation of joint inter-Korean teams. As such, the country has stood in active support of the Korean Government’s policy and endeavors aimed at ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.

President Moon paid a state visit to Indonesia last November, his first state visit to an ASEAN member nation following his inauguration. During his stay, bilateral relations were upgraded to a special strategic partnership, the first with an ASEAN member state. The upcoming Indonesian President's visit reciprocates President Moon's state visit. The two Presidents will hold a summit on September 10, which will be followed by a state dinner. 

During the summit, the two leaders are expected to discuss concrete measures for cooperation to flesh out the special strategic partnership between the two countries. Among other things, they will extensively exchange ideas on how to work together more closely for common prosperity in such areas as trade, investment, infrastructure building, agriculture, healthcare, national defense and the defense industry, development cooperation, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.    

The Indonesian President’s visit is expected to further develop the two countries’ relations in a mutually beneficial, forward-looking manner and help establish the foundation to create a people-centered peace community where everyone is well off in ASEAN.

With this visit by its President, Indonesia will become the first ASEAN nation to reciprocate President Moon’s visit since his inauguration. The trip is likely to deepen friendly cooperation between Korea and Indonesia as well as Korea-ASEAN relations. In addition, it is expected to contribute to the diversification of Korea’s diplomacy by seeking ways with Indonesia to strengthen not only cooperation on regional peace and prosperity but also on an international level through MIKTA, a partnership among middle-power nations such as Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey and Australia.