Indonesia Focuses On Establishing Joint Industrial Cooperation With South Korea

Seoul, South Korea (Antara Bali) - The Indonesian government plans to focus on establishing cooperation with its South Korean partners to develop industries in the country.

 "We will establish cooperation in the industrial sector, particularly manufacturing," President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) informed reporters at the Lotte Hotel, Seoul, on Sunday (May 15) afternoon.

 The president arrived in the capital city of South Korea for a state visit and met South Korean President Park Geun-hye and several entrepreneurs to explore various areas of potential to develop bilateral businesses.

Jokowi revealed that besides the manufacturing sector, Indonesia was also seeking cooperation in the field of creative industries, such as films and animation.

In addition, the president said Indonesia can take a cue from South Korea on ways to promote arts and cultural entertainment in the international market.

"We are not taking anything, but we can learn how K-pop achieved success at the global level. Of course, by using our own strength, in the form of traditional arts and music with better branding, it would receive global recognition," Jokowi remarked.

According to the president, it took 15 years for South Korea to build its creative and entertainment industries that led to a boom in cultural promotion.

Meanwhile, according to data from the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, South Korea's total bilateral trade with Indonesia stood at US$16.7 billion in 2015.

South Korea, with a total investment of $1.21 billion, is ranked fifth in the list of countries with the largest foreign direct investment in Indonesia.

South Korean investors have expressed interest in five major sectors: electricity, gas, and water; crops and plantation; trade and reparation; food industry; and metal industry, goods, machinery, and electronics.(WDY)