Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on the sidelines of the 2025 APEC Summit in Gyeongju, discussing K-Pop's popularity in Indonesia and the continuation of the KF-21 fighter jet project. The bilateral meeting highlighted strong ties between the two nations in culture, economy, and defense. Prabowo praised the efficient organization of the APEC event.
The bilateral meeting between Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took place in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Saturday (November 1) during the 2025 APEC Summit. Prabowo, accompanied by Foreign Minister Sugiono, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto, Investment Minister Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, began the talks by noting the enthusiasm of Indonesians, especially youth, for K-Pop.
"I want to thank you for the beautiful gala dinner last night. The event was very interesting, and I think Korea will conquer the world with your music and dance. All young people in Indonesia are crazy about K-Pop," Prabowo said, met with applause from Korean officials.
The Friday (October 31) gala dinner at Lahan Select Hotel featured a performance by K-Pop icon G-Dragon, the 2025 APEC Summit ambassador, with hit songs like “Power,” “Home Sweet Home,” and “Drama”. The event was hosted by Cha Eun-woo, a singer and actor currently serving mandatory military duty.
Prabowo also praised Korea's leadership in organizing APEC. "I want to congratulate you on your leadership in hosting APEC. The event is very well organized, very efficient, and always on time—right down to the minute," he stated.
On the other hand, the two leaders discussed the continuation of the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet project as part of their defense partnership. "I think we will continue to discuss the follow-up of the KF-21 project. So, I think the negotiators will continue, and, of course, negotiations always depend on economic factors, price, and financing schemes," Prabowo said. President Lee hoped this cooperation would yield greater benefits, while emphasizing strong ties in economy, trade, and investment.
Prabowo reaffirmed Indonesia's commitment to strengthening bilateral relations. "The relationship between our two countries has been very good. Korea is a very important partner for us in economic cooperation," he added. After the meeting, Prabowo returned to Indonesia on Saturday.