REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JEJU -- South Korea has expressed interest to strengthen relations with Indonesia that enjoys a strong position in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, former Indonesian president Megawati Soekarnoputri stated.
"During a meeting with President Moon Jae-in, we spoke about the improvement in bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and South Korea," Soekarnoputri noted here on Tuesday.
On Monday, Soekarnoputri had paid a courtesy visit to the Blue House to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
Soekarnoputri was urged to help reunify North and South Korea.
Currently, South Korea is led by Jae-in, who was inaugurated on May 10.
"President Moon Jae-in wants to increase bilateral relations between the two countries," she stated.
The efforts to intensify cooperation with Indonesia can be a new chapter in the diplomatic relations between the two countries, she concluded.
Soekarnoputri had earlier stated that historically, the relationship between Soekarno and his North Korean counterpart Kim Il Sung had been sound.
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Sung was once invited by Soekarno to visit Jakarta. During his trip to Jakarta, Soekarno presented an orchid to Sung as a symbol of friendship between the two countries, which became known as "Orchid Diplomacy."
On the occasion, Soekarnoputri became acquainted with the son of Sung, Kim Jong Il, who had visited Jakarta.
As time passed by, Jong Il's son Kim Jong Un, who now leads North Korea, also respected Soekarnoputri.
On the other hand, when Soekarnoputri once served as fifth president of the Republic of Indonesia, South Korea was led by Kim Dae Jung who longed for the unification of North and South Korea.
Since the leadership of South Korea held by Jung then switched to Rooh Moo Hyun, reunification efforts continued to be carried out. South Korea also urged Soekarnoputri to help in the reunification process when she served as the president of Republic of Indonesia.
However, the efforts were hampered, as the leadership in South Korea continued to experience a change.
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