President Lee Jae-myung held a summit with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the Cheongwadae presidential compound on Thursday, as Prabowo made a state visit to South Korea. The two nations plan to elevate their relationship to a "Special Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" to strengthen practical cooperation in areas including defense.
Lee also plans to award Prabowo the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea's highest state decoration, in recognition of his contributions to promoting friendship between the two countries.
Cheongwadae spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong said in a written briefing that the award "reflects a high appreciation of President Prabowo's contributions to advancing Korea-Indonesia friendly relations, including his active support for the activities of Korean companies operating in Indonesia, and expresses the highest level of diplomatic courtesy." No separate award ceremony will be held; the decoration will be displayed alongside gifts.
On the occasion of the state visit, the two countries will upgrade their ties to a "Special Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" to deepen practical cooperation in new growth areas including trade and investment, defense industry collaboration, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, shipbuilding, nuclear power, energy transition, and the culture and creative industries.
As this marks Prabowo's first bilateral visit to South Korea since taking office, the official welcoming ceremony was prepared with special protocol. Approximately 70 members of a traditional military band and honor guard escorted his motorcade as it entered Cheongwadae, with about 180 people lined up for the welcoming ceremony.
The state luncheon featured "fusion Korean cuisine" blending the food cultures of both nations. Appetizers included glutinous rice chips and red yeast rice chips, date-and-cheese rolls, and tangpyeongchae, a traditional Korean mung bean jelly dish. The glutinous rice chips and red yeast rice chips were notably designed to represent the colors of the Indonesian flag.
The menu was built on halal ingredients and incorporated Indonesian favorites such as sambal sauce, gado-gado salad, and Mandailing coffee alongside Korean dishes to symbolize harmony between the two nations. Cheongwadae said the menu excluded pork and alcohol and used halal ingredients in deference to President Prabowo's Islamic faith and dietary preferences.
Following the luncheon, the two leaders attended a taekwondo demonstration by the Army Taekwondo team. The program was arranged in consideration of Prabowo's interests — a former military officer, he also serves as chairman of the Pencak Silat association, Indonesia's traditional martial art, and has a keen interest in martial arts.
Gifts presented to Prabowo included a traditional Korean archery (gukgung) set and a martial arts manuscript. The archery set included a "galraesal" arrow historically used for hunting large game, carrying the symbolic wish of "advancing toward a great goal and achieving meaningful accomplishments." An English-language edition of the Muyedobotongji, a comprehensive Joseon-era martial arts manual, along with a commentary volume were also presented.
Regarding the decision to award the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, Cheongwadae emphasized that it "recognizes the tangible cooperation outcomes produced across diverse fields including trade and investment, artificial intelligence, culture and creative industries, and defense," adding that it "expresses the highest level of diplomatic courtesy."
A welcome kit was prepared at Prabowo's accommodations, including a commemorative cake shaped like the number "8," a set of eight types of traditional Korean confections and rice cakes, a flower basket, and a fruit set. The motif reflects the fact that Prabowo is Indonesia's eighth president, symbolically expressing friendship and cooperation between the two nations.
The state luncheon was attended by senior figures from government, politics, and the business community. In addition to Cheongwadae staff and cabinet ministers, 24 top business leaders attended, including SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chairman Euisun Chung, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, and POSCO Chairman Jang In-hwa, lending weight to discussions on investment, supply chain, and defense cooperation.
Also in attendance were Carmen, a member of K-pop group Hearts2Hearts who hails from Indonesia, as well as Southeast Asia specialists and other figures from academia and the cultural sector, adding significance to the cultural exchange between the two countries.