The Indonesian and South Korean governments have taken initial steps to strengthen economic cooperation ahead of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, which will take place from October 31 to November 1, 2025, in Gyeongju, South Korea.
Discussions on deepening cooperation were held during a bilateral meeting between Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, and South Korea’s Minister of Trade, Investment, and Energy, Kim Jung Kwan, in Gyeongju on Friday (October 31, 2025).
During the meeting, Airlangga said that discussions centered on several key areas, including investment, trade, energy, digitalization, and future industrial development, with both sides reaching a number of agreements.
“South Korea is one of Indonesia’s main partners in building a competitive and sustainable economy. We want to ensure that this ongoing cooperation continues to develop in a more strategic and concrete direction,” Airlangga said in a press release on Friday.
He expressed hope that the partnership would foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth for both countries. The two sides also reaffirmed their commitment to continuously strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation and supporting sustainable economic development in the Asia-Pacific region.
To enhance bilateral economic ties, both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Joint Committee on Economic Cooperation (JCEC) as the primary platform for advancing collaboration between the two countries. Airlangga also announced that the third JCEC Ministerial Meeting will be held in Indonesia in the first quarter of 2026 to accelerate the implementation of previously agreed strategic projects. In addition, he emphasized the importance of expediting the implementation of the Economic Cooperation Committee under the Indonesia–Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IK-CEPA).
“IK-CEPA is a vital instrument for deepening our economic partnership. Through this agreement, we aim to ensure direct benefits for industries and communities in both countries,” Airlangga said.
Concluding the meeting, Airlangga expressed confidence that cooperation between Indonesia and South Korea will continue to progress toward a comprehensive, innovative, and sustainable economic partnership.
“Economic cooperation between Indonesia and Korea not only reflects strong bilateral relations but also contributes significantly to regional economic growth. Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen this inclusive and mutually beneficial partnership,” he added.
South Korea remains one of Indonesia’s key strategic partners in strengthening bilateral economic relations. In 2024, it ranked as the seventh-largest investor in Indonesia, with around 2,000 Korean companies operating in collaboration with local partners.
October 31, 2025, CNBC Indonesia
(https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/news/20251031103428-4-681001/ri-korsel-perkuat-kerja-sama-ekonomi-jelang-ktt-apec-2025)