We strongly believe that, as a new leader, President Lee also wants to ensure that the contract dispute does not disrupt the relationship between the two countries because the bilateral ties between Asia’s fourth and fifth-largest economies are too significant to fail. The two leaders need to meet as soon as possible to overcome the obstacle.

Traditionally, new Indonesian presidents have prioritized their introductory visits to the three major East Asian economic powers: China, Japan and South Korea. However, Prabowo has exempted Seoul from his itineraries to date. 

The absence has sparked speculation because it is so evident. There are no explanations from the President or Foreign Minister Sugiono regarding the decision to skip the country.

According to Yonhap, Indonesia had agreed to pay approximately 20 percent of the 8.1 trillion won (US$5.95 billion) development cost of the KF-21 Boramae jet fighter program, launched in 2015.

However, following repeated payment delays, Seoul reduced Indonesia’s contribution to 600 billion won from the original amount of 1.6 trillion won last year. However, Indonesia has continued to refuse to pay all of its obligations without a clear and official explanation.

Indonesia’s change of position was, among other factors, caused by the arrest of five Indonesian engineers working on the project at Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in February 2023 for allegedly attempting to steal project data. But last month, they were cleared of criminal charges.

South Korean officials reportedly realized that the prolonged cases have been damaging to the bilateral relationship.

South Korea is consistently among the top investors in Indonesia, including in small and medium-scale enterprises, and has been our major trading partner for several decades. Before it is too late, the President should seize the earliest opportunity to meet with President Lee in person in a bilateral context.

President Prabowo should visit a single destination rather than combining it with other visits. He can also meet President Lee during two multilateral occasions in South Korea, but it will create the impression that he downgraded the status of Asia’s fourth-largest economy. 

In April, a group of top South Korean companies informed President Prabowo that they would increase their investment by approximately $1.7 billion. It represents an increase of more than 10 percent from the $15.4 billion that the country’s companies had invested in Indonesia.

Seoul consistently prioritizes Jakarta as the most prominent members of ASEAN, both in terms of size and economic power. The country also expects equal treatment from our government.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo attended the swearing-in ceremony of President Prabowo in October last year. Then-president Yoon Suk-yeol appointed former Minister of Industry Bang Moon-kyu as the new ambassador to Indonesia. Yoon’s impeachment, however, has put his appointment in jeopardy.

The release of the five Indonesians is a demonstration of goodwill from Seoul aimed at restoring the usually good bilateral relations. Indonesia should also show the same goodwill to one of its most important trading and economic partners.