The study of South Korea is crucial because it provides a deeper understanding of global political dynamics, economic development, and cultural influences. Indonesia and Korea share several similarities in their historical journeys. Over approximately 7 decades, South Korea successfully transformed from a country with a low GDP after the Korean War to one of the world’s 10 major economic powers.
South Korea’s rapid transformation into a global economic power and a hub of technological innovation makes it a relevant case study in the discourse of development and globalisation. Meanwhile, North Korea’s nuclear program and authoritarian regime highlight strategic issues in international security and diplomacy. Furthermore, the historical division of the Korean Peninsula and its ongoing tensions provide significant empirical examples for the study of peace and conflict.
Cultural aspects play a very central role. South Korea’s rich cultural heritage, combined with the global expansion of the Hallyu phenomenon, which encompasses K-pop, dramas, and films, has strengthened South Korea’s soft power on the international stage. Southeast Asia, in particular, has become one of the largest markets for Korean cultural products, especially K-pop.
Within the regional context, Korea is actively building partnerships with ASEAN. Although Korea began cooperating with ASEAN later than other countries in Northeast Asia, its involvement has grown rapidly through the birth of an ASEAN-focused foreign policy, the New Southern Policy, in 2017, which was later strengthened by the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI). Subsequently, in 2024, Korea upgraded this relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Relations with Indonesia have also become increasingly positive, marked by the establishment of a special strategic partnership, the only one in Southeast Asia. The close personal relationship at the leadership level, particularly between President Lee Myung-bak and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has also strengthened the bilateral relationship. Furthermore, the joint participation of Indonesia and South Korea in multilateral forums such as MIKTA and the G20 expands the space for strategic cooperation at both the regional and global levels.