Busan is good

Park Heong-joon, Mayor of Busan, Meets with Indonesian Ambassador to Korea… Discusses Expansion of Trade, Investment, and Human Exchange

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that on September 30 at 1:30 p.m., Mayor Park met with Checep Herawan, the Indonesian Ambassador to Korea, in the International Reception Room at Busan City Hall to discuss trade and investment cooperation, as well as cultural and human exchange.

Prior to the meeting, Ambassador Checep Herawan delivered a keynote speech at the “Indonesia–Korea Human Resource Development Cooperation Seminar” held at Busan University of Foreign Studies, presenting a vision for the future of cooperation between the two countries.

First, Mayor Park welcomed the Ambassador, saying, “Indonesia is a central nation of ASEAN and one of Korea’s key partners. I hope today’s meeting will serve as an opportunity to further strengthen the cooperation between our two countries.”

He added, “Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1973, the two nations have continued to strengthen cooperation in all sectors, and in 2017, our relationship was elevated to a ‘Special Strategic Partnership,’ the only one among ASEAN nations. In particular, based on the Korea-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which came into effect in 2023, cooperation has been expanding not only in trade and investment but also in the construction of Indonesia’s new capital, clean energy, digital and information communication technology (ICT), and the defense industry.”

Mayor Park also stated, “Since establishing sister-city relations in 1994, Busan and Surabaya have maintained exchanges for over 30 years, including youth exchange programs, cultural and artistic delegations, and mutual visits of official representatives. I hope to see further future-oriented cooperation between Busan and Indonesia.”

In the economic sector, the Mayor noted, “In July, the ASEAN Consumer Goods Trade Delegation dispatched by our city to Jakarta achieved contracts worth approximately USD 1.8 million. Through the Indonesian Halal Certification Center established within the Busan Indonesia Center, we are supporting SMEs to successfully enter the Indonesian market.”

Furthermore, Mayor Park highlighted Busan’s strengths, saying, “Busan is a maritime city with the world’s second-largest transshipment port and the seventh-largest container port, giving us significant potential for cooperation with Indonesia in the marine and fisheries sectors. Beyond traditional manufacturing, Busan is also fostering new industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), ICT, and quantum computing, and I expect active exchange and cooperation in a wide range of fields.”

In response, Ambassador Checep Herawan stated, “Given the long history of exchanges between Busan and Indonesia, particularly Surabaya, I believed it was necessary to visit Busan early in my term as the new Ambassador. I expect Busan’s expertise in human resource development and marine cooperation to greatly benefit Indonesia.”

He further emphasized, “Of Indonesia’s population of 280 million, about 100 million are youth, making human resource development our top priority. Cooperation with Busan’s maritime and marine education capacity is therefore very important.”

The Ambassador also remarked, “Indonesia has the world’s largest halal consumer market, and the entry of Busan’s halal products into this market will be mutually beneficial. I will continue to work on strengthening exchanges between Busan and Surabaya, as well as other Indonesian cities with which we have signed MOUs.”

He added, “We also request active support when Indonesian festivals and cultural events are held in Busan, and I will continue to work closely with Busan Metropolitan City to achieve tangible and practical outcomes.”

Finally, Mayor Park concluded the meeting by saying, “I hope this meeting will lead to concrete achievements in not only trade and investment but also in cultural and human exchanges between Busan and Indonesia.”