President Prabowo Subianto Visits Republic of Korea to Strengthen Strategic Partnership
President Prabowo Subianto is welcomed at a State Ceremony during his meeting with President of the Republic of Korea, Lee Jae Myung, at the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Korea, Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House), Wednesday (04/01) (Photo: BPMI of the Presidential Secretariat)
President Prabowo Subianto was welcomed at a state ceremony during his meeting with President of the Republic of Korea, Lee Jae Myung, at the Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House) on Wednesday (04/01). The ceremony was solemn and full of respect, reflecting the increasingly close ties between the two countries.
Upon arriving at the Blue House complex, President Prabowo was officially received by President Lee Jae Myung in front of the main building. The welcoming procession began with an escort of guards dressed in traditional Korean attire, guiding the delegation into the palace grounds and creating a distinctive atmosphere of state honor unique to the Republic of Korea.
The two heads of state then proceeded together to the ceremonial grounds. The event commenced with honors at the ceremonial dais, followed by the rendering of the national anthems of both countries. The ceremony continued with a troop inspection and the introduction of official delegations from both sides.
Following the welcoming ceremony, President Prabowo signed the state guestbook and took part in a joint photo session with President Lee Jae Myung as a symbol of friendship. The meeting then continued in a tête-à-tête format, which proceeded in a warm and constructive atmosphere, before advancing to a bilateral meeting involving the respective delegations.
During the bilateral meeting, President Prabowo was accompanied by several ministers and senior officials, including Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister for Foreign Affairs Sugiono, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of Investment and Downstream Industry/Head of BKPM Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, and Indonesian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Cecep Herawan.
Meanwhile, President Lee Jae Myung was accompanied by senior officials of the Republic of Korea, including Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol, Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jungkwan, Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, National Security Director Wi Sung-lac, Director of National Policy Kim Yong-beom, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Indonesia Yoon Soongu, and Minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration Lee Yong Cheol.
In his opening remarks, President Lee Jae Myung warmly welcomed President Prabowo’s state visit and expressed his support for elevating bilateral relations to the highest level.
“On the occasion of President Prabowo’s state visit to Korea, it is truly meaningful that we will achieve historic outcomes in upgrading our bilateral relations to a special comprehensive strategic partnership, and the Republic of Korea maintains such a relationship with only one country in the world,” President Lee stated.
President Prabowo, in turn, expressed his pleasure and honor at meeting President Lee again following their previous encounter in Gyeongju on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting 2025 in November 2025. He also conveyed his highest appreciation for the warm welcome extended by the Korean side during the visit.
“I would also like to express my highest appreciation for the very warm welcome and the great ceremony given to me. This is a great honor that I experience today. As a former soldier, I am very honored to be received with such a beautiful ceremony,” President Prabowo said.
A key highlight of the visit was the exchange of cooperation documents between Indonesia and the Republic of Korea. A total of ten memorandums of understanding were signed, marking concrete progress in strengthening the strategic partnership across various sectors.
The state visit concluded with a state luncheon hosted by the President of the Republic of Korea in honor of President Prabowo and the Indonesian delegation.
This visit was not merely a bilateral engagement, but a new historical milestone. From the Blue House, Indonesia and South Korea reaffirmed their commitment to move forward together and to build a partnership that is deeper, more strategic, and more impactful for the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region. (BPMI of the Presidential Secretariat) (AY/MMB)
