By Lee Jon-young

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee, who are currently in Jakarta, Indonesia, for the ASEAN Summit, hosted a dinner and meeting with Korean compatriots in Indonesia on the evening of September 5. The meeting was attended by more than 180 compatriots who are actively engaged in the Indonesian community across the country.

In his encouraging remarks, the President said, “Indonesia, as the world's fourth most populous country and ASEAN's leading economic power, is a key partner in our 'ASEAN-Korea Solidarity Initiative'.”

The President lauded the remarkable progress in all areas of bilateral relations, with bilateral trade between Indonesia and Korea reaching approximately $26 billion last year, up from less than $200 million when diplomatic relations were established 50 years ago.

The President emphasized that the Korean diaspora, which has continued to grow alongside the development of bilateral relations, has established itself as an exemplary community in Indonesia, demonstrating the Korean spirit of "Sangbu Sangjo" and the Indonesian spirit of "Gottoloyong" (shoulder to shoulder) in overcoming the coronavirus crisis.

The President said that the Overseas Korean Affairs Office, which was launched in June, will continue to be a strong link between the home country and the diaspora, especially to support the multicultural and next generation compatriots in  Indonesia to grow locally while maintaining their Korean identity.

During the meeting, the Rainbow Choir, composed of children from multicultural families in Indonesia, sang the children's songs "My Brother's Thoughts" and "A Beautiful World.” After the performance, the President and Mrs. Yoon warmly encouraged the members of the Rainbow Choir and took a commemorative photo with them.