TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia and South Korea have just celebrated their 40-year friendship. With a relationship spanning four decades, Indonesia and Korea hope to be able to become regional middle powers in the Asia-Pacific region. The two nations also wish to increase partnerships in various fields including economic, political, and defense sectors.
"As regional middle powers in the Asia Pacific, Indonesia and South Korea can form a future in this region. The partnership of these two nations could be as regional middle powers that will be crucial in maintaining order for this region," said Rizal Sukma, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) executive director, in an Indonesia-South Korea forum held to commemorate 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations yesterday.
In his speech, former South Korean prime minister, Kim Suk-soo said the diplomatic relations initiated since 1973 would continue to be developed because the two nations have various things in common.
The tight relationship between the two nations is marked by the increase of bilateral trade. In 2007, the trade value reached US$ 10.8 billion and went up to $30 billion in 2011. The two nations target a trade value of $50 billion in 2015 and $100 billion by 2020.
"In order to reach the target, the two nations are discussing a Closer Economic Partnership Arrangment (CEPA)," said Yuri Thamrin, director general for the Asia-Pacific and Africa.
Currently, there are up to 32,000 Indonesians living in South Korea and around 50,000 South Koreans living in Indonesia, making it one of the largest foreign communities in Indonesia.
NATALIA SANTI