Culture to security: The strategic evolution of Korea-Indonesia relations

President Lee Jae Myung welcomes Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on April 1. Courtesy of the Presidential Office

Rika Mayasari Harahap

For many Indonesians, Korea first arrived through the infectious beats of K-pop, the emotional hooks of K-dramas and the overarching phenomenon of the Korean wave, also known as hallyu. The establishment of the Korean Cultural Center in Jakarta in 2011 institutionalized these connections, introducing the Korean language, arts and cinema to a wider Indonesian audience. Today, however, the relationship is entering a fundamentally different phase.

President Prabowo Subianto’s historic state visit to Seoul from March 31 to April 2 marked an important milestone in the evolution of bilateral relations. During the visit, both countries agreed to elevate their ties from a Special Strategic Partnership to a Special Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This upgrade signals a deeper, far more calculated commitment to security and economic resilience.

The upgrade represents far more than a diplomatic gesture. It reflects a growing recognition in both Jakarta and Seoul that traditional trade frameworks are no longer sufficient to navigate modern geopolitical realities. The state visit yielded 16 newly signed or updated memorandums of understanding targeted at vital points in the global economy: critical mineral supply chains, digital development, carbon capture and storage, artificial intelligence for healthcare and clean energy.

Over the past decade, economic ties between the two countries have already produced tangible results. The Indonesia-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which reactivated in 2019 and entered into force in 2023, has provided a strong institutional foundation for trade and investment. Korean companies have steadily expanded their presence in Indonesia, particularly in strategic industries linked to manufacturing and the energy transition.

Hyundai Motor Group began mass production of its flagship IONIQ 5 at its facility in West Java in 2022, cementing Indonesia’s status as an essential automotive hub for Southeast Asia. The company invested $1.55 billion in production. KCC Glass established its first overseas production plant in the country in 2021, amounting to an 5 trillion Indonesian rupiah investment for the operation, demonstrating long-term investor faith in Indonesia's industrial baseline.

However, defense industrial cooperation has emerged as the truest pillar of this updated alliance. The jointly developed KF-21 Boramae fighter jet, which took its maiden flight in 2022, is nearing its final development phase this June. It stands as one of the most technologically ambitious military collaborations ever undertaken by Seoul and Jakarta.

Additionally, the delivery of the KRI Alugoro in 2021, the first submarine built inside Indonesia via a comprehensive technology transfer from Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (now Hanwha Ocean), proves the tangible, high-stakes value of this defense pipeline.

Indonesia offers what Korea increasingly needs: a large and expanding consumer market, abundant reserves of critical minerals and a strategic location at the center of Southeast Asia. Korea, meanwhile, contributes advanced manufacturing capabilities, technological expertise and globally competitive industrial frameworks that Indonesia needs to leap forward economically.

However, the global economy has entered an era where raw market access and manufacturing capacity are no longer the main metrics of success. Geopolitical competition is heavily driven by technological innovation, supply-chain resilience and economic security. In this fragmented landscape, a deeper Seoul-Jakarta alignment is a strategic necessity.

The multilateral trading system that underpinned global wealth for decades is faltering. The World Trade Organization is trapped in structural paralysis, its Appellate Body neutralized and its consensus-driven framework buckling under the weight of major-power rivalries. As a result, plurilateral "minilateralism" — a targeted partnership among like-minded nations — has become the pragmatic alternative for securing supply chains.

Beyond economics, the broader Indo-Pacific region faces unprecedented strategic anxiety. China’s rapid military modernization, persistent frictions in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea and shifting regional priorities in Washington have forced middle powers to diversify their security dependencies. As underscored during recent dialogues at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May 2026, regional stability now relies on middle powers stepping up to build their own interconnected security architectures.

As two quintessential middle powers committed to regional stability, strategic autonomy and open markets, Korea and Indonesia are uniquely positioned to spearhead this shift. By upgrading to a Special Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, Seoul and Jakarta are moving beyond a transactional trade mindset. They are building a resilient, future-oriented security anchor capable of weathering the turbulent crosswinds of a rapidly changing Indo-Pacific and global landscape.

Rika Mayasari Harahap is a trade analyst at the Directorate of WTO Negotiations, Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect the official position of her institutions.