In a recent event commemorating 50 years of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and South Korea, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, expressed his optimism about the importance of fostering cultural exchange between the two nations. He highlighted the need for incentives to enhance cooperation.
The Korea-Indonesia Economic Cooperation event, held at Hotel Mulia Jakarta, served as a platform for Sandiaga to emphasize the significant potential in the collaboration between the two countries. He shared his vision of a shared commitment leading Indonesia towards a golden era, “Indonesia Emas,” by 2045, fostering robust relations enriched with cultural exchange.
Drawing attention to the mutual benefits of cultural heritage, Sandiaga emphasized the prowess of Indonesia and Korea in overcoming challenges through mediums such as film and literature. He sees film production partnerships as a valuable avenue to gain fresh insights into the cultures of both nations.
“Collaborative music production between Korea and Indonesia, along with cultural exchange, needs to be elevated,” Sandiaga stated, underscoring the importance of strengthening these cultural ties.
While acknowledging Indonesia’s fondness for Korean music and K-pop, Sandiaga highlighted the growing interest in Indonesian culture in Korea. Notably, he pointed out instances such as volleyball matches featuring the lively tunes of dangdut, a genre popular in Indonesia.
Former Indonesian Ambassador to South Korea, Gandi Sulistiyanto Soeherman, echoed the sentiment, noting that Indonesia stands to learn valuable lessons from Korea, especially in the realm of the creative industry.
Gandi observed South Korea’s economic progress, attributing it to the advancements in the creative and digital industries. He emphasized that fostering the creative industry could serve as the backbone of Indonesia’s economy, following South Korea’s successful model in creating a thriving ecosystem for creative and digital industries.