Former Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri (left) is greeted by President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae on May 29. (Cheong Wa Dae)

By Lee Hana

President Moon Jae-in met with former Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri on May 29 in Seoul.

Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Soo-hyun announced in a press briefing that, "President Moon and former Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri spent the majority of their time discussing various measures that would speed up the normalization of relations between South and North Korea."

"The Korean government is pushing to shift the paradigm insofar as to address North-South relations," said President Moon. "The two sides need to play the main roles in resolving problems rooted in the Korean Peninsula. Unlike previous administrations, which relied solely on sanctions and outside pressure, the current government will enforce these measures while also seeking to open the floor for debate."

"Korea and ASEAN member states need to strengthen our diplomatic relationships so that they are at the same level as the relationship between Korea and the U.S., China, Japan and Russia. I hope that Indonesia will play a central role in fortifying the Korea-ASEAN alliance," said the president.

"The North and South are originally one nation, so it makes sense for the two sides to be reunited," said former President Megawati Sukarnoputri. "However, it`s important to note that underlying problems cannot be solved through politics alone. It`s necessary to approach the issue from social, cultural, educational, public health and economic points of view to get the full picture," she said.

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