- Lee Jae Myung and Prabowo Subianto hold summit talks focusing on defense cooperation expansion.
- Discussions include joint KF 21 fighter jet development and potential export deal strengthening military ties.
- Leaders also review regional issues ASEAN relations and broader cooperation across economic and security sectors.
Lee Jae Myung and Prabowo Subianto conducted high-level summit discussions in Seoul to strengthen their bilateral relationship while they particularly aimed to expand defense ties between their two nations.
The meeting took place during Prabowo’s three-day state visit to South Korea, marking their second engagement following earlier discussions on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit last year.
The talk’s main focus centered on the collaborative development of the KF-21 fighter jet which international defense partners successfully built as their operational model.
South Korea is also planning to finalize a deal to export 16 KF-21 fighter jets to Indonesia, which would represent the country’s first overseas sale of a domestically developed combat aircraft.
The upcoming agreement will greatly improve defense relationship between the two countries while boosting South Korea's status in the international arms market.
The two leaders discussed defense matters, but they also talked about other areas where both nations could work together to improve South Korea's ties with ASEAN while they addressed important security issues on the Korean Peninsula and developments in the Middle East.
The discussions focused on Indonesia's strategic value as an ASEAN member which possesses a substantial population and extensive natural resource wealth.
The visit includes President Lee's plan to present the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea's highest award, to President Prabowo because of his work to improve relations between the two countries and his assistance to South Korean companies operating in Indonesia.
The summit included the distribution of traditional Korean gifts which Prabowo personally selected because of his dedication to martial arts. The summit shows that the two countries are expanding their collaboration on defense matters and economic issues and diplomatic relations.