South Korean President Lee Jae Myung welcomes Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the Blue House in Seoul, South Korea, April 1, 2026. (Reuters)
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung held talks in Seoul on April 1 with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, with the two leaders agreeing to expand cooperation in critical minerals, technology and clean energy, according to the Office of the President of South Korea.
The meeting took place following an official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace, colloquially known as the Blue House, where the leaders held a bilateral summit and oversaw the signing of several memoranda of understanding before attending a luncheon, according to the presidential schedule. President Prabowo is also expected to attend a business forum in Seoul later on the same day as part of his state visit.
The agreements include cooperation in renewable energy and the development of data centres, as the two countries move to elevate their ties into a strategic partnership. Despite expectations of closer defence ties, no new deals were announced relating to defence cooperation, including the joint project to develop South Korea’s domestically produced KF-21 Boramae fighter jet.
In February, Korea Aerospace Industries said it was in discussions with Indonesia regarding a possible sale of KF-21s, though no decisions had yet been finalised. South Korea also expects Indonesia to complete a payment linked to the joint development programme by the end of the year, Reuters reported.
Earlier statements from the presidential office said both sides were also seeking to strengthen cooperation in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, infrastructure, shipbuilding, nuclear power, energy conversion and cultural industries. During the visit, President Lee is also scheduled to confer South Korea’s highest civilian honour, the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, on President Prabowo.
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