Indonesia and Korea ink MoU to collaborate on capital city relocation

President Joko Widodo and South Korean President Moon Jae-in witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Technical Cooperation on Capital City Relocation and Development in Busan, South Korea, on Nov 25, 2019. (photo: antara/Joko Susilo/FA)

Busan, South Korea (ANTARA) - A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Technical Cooperation on Capital City Relocation and Development was inked between Indonesia and South Korea.

"This (MoU) was signed by the Public Works and Public Housing Minister (Basuki Hadimuljono) and his South Korean counterpart. The cooperation concerns city development within the regional perspective, among other things," Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi notified the press at Hotel Lotte, Busan, South Korea, on Monday evening.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, on Monday, bore witness to the inking of the new capital city MoU and two other agreements.

The two other agreements were respectively on conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership (CEPA) between Indonesia and South Korea and on Visa Exemption for holders of Diplomatic and Official Passports of both nations.

The MoU encompassed city planning and design as well as public works and housing development.

"It includes engineering of construction, technology, and management covering roads, bridges, clean water, raw water, dams, flood control, drinking water, drainage system, waste management, domestic waste water, housing, and buildings," she elaborated.

The forms of the cooperation comprise current information, experience, knowledge and technology sharing, expert assignment, capacity building, and cooperation in technical aspects that the two countries had agreed upon.

While addressing several CEOs of major South Korean companies, Jokowi elaborated on his plan to relocate the capital city from Jakarta to East Kalimantan.

"I think you have heard that Indonesia will move its capital city from Jakarta to East Kalimantan,” he stated.

Indonesia will design a smart, green, safe, and inclusive capital city, he remarked.

"Indonesia is open to establishing cooperation for relocation of this capital city. Once again, I invite you to strengthen our economic and trade cooperation as well as cooperation in investment between Indonesia and Korea," Jokowi remarked.

Jokowi was in South Korea to attend the 2019 ASEAN-Republic of KOREA Commemorative Summit in Busan on Nov 25-26 to mark the 30th anniversary of dialogue partnership between the ASEAN and Republic of Korea.