TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Agus Mahram, secretary of the Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister, said that the his institution has set a cooperation with the Busan-Indonesia Center (BIC) in South Korea to promote Indonesian small and medium enterprises (SME).

“100 Indonesian SMEs will partner with South Korean’s,” Agus said in Jakarta on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Agus said that Busan has prepared a place for Indonesian SMEs to display their products in South Korea while the BIC will prepare marketing personnel to promote Indonesian products.

“SMEs to be selected are those operating in the manufacturing sector, such as metal, mechanical, information technology components, software and food,” Agus explained.

Agus revealed that the South Korean government realized the importance of the Cooperative and Small and Medium Enterprises Ministry to develop local businesses. The Cooperation, Agus added, was aimed at boosting South Korean investments in Indonesia.

In addition to boost investments, Agus said that the ministry would also promote technology transfer between South Korea and Indonesia. Similar cooperation had been established between the Indonesian government and the Korean Trade Investment Promotion Agency.

“The cooperation was aimed to develop regional signature products by crafting a program called the ‘One Village One Product’ through cooperatives,” Agus added.

Agus also encouraged local products to be displayed at Smesco building in Jakarta. He had prepared spots for local products to increase their competitiveness at the national and international levels.

“South Korea can buy products at Smesco to be promoted in the country,” he said.

DANANG FIRMANTO