Indonesian President: "President Lee Asked About Possible Visit to North Korea in April"... Blue House: "Continuing to Seek Avenues for Cooperation"

Prabowo Reveals Details of Conversation with President Lee
"I Responded That I Would Gladly Go If There Was an Official Request"
Blue House: "Countries Like Indonesia Can Play a Constructive Role for Peace on the Korean Peninsula"

Regarding the Indonesian President’s response to President Lee Jae-myung’s request to visit North Korea during his state visit to Korea this past April—and his reply that he would consider going—a Blue House official stated on August 1, "The government believes that countries such as Indonesia, which maintain friendly relations with both South and North Korea, can play a constructive role in realizing peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula. We have continuously sought related avenues for cooperation."

President Lee Jae-myung and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto shake hands on April 1 at the Blue House ahead of an expanded summit. 2026.4.1 Yonhap News Agency

According to reports from the Indonesian weekly Tempo and Reuters, President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia said at a meeting with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Presidential Palace the previous day, "During my recent visit to Korea, the President of Korea asked if I would be able to visit North Korea to initiate dialogue in any form." He added, "I responded that if the Korean government made an official request for me to go to North Korea, I would respect that and willingly accept."

In response, the Blue House clarified, "During the Korea-Indonesia summit on April 1, a briefing explained that 'President Lee detailed our government’s policies for peaceful coexistence and mutual prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, along with continued efforts to restart inter-Korean dialogue, and asked for constructive support from Indonesia. President Prabowo reaffirmed his support for denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.'"

President Prabowo assessed that President Lee’s request reflected trust in Indonesia’s foreign policy, which emphasizes independence and neutrality on international issues. He stated that Indonesia will not join any specific military alliance, enabling it to cooperate with countries with differing interests. He further remarked, "We aim to improve relationships and foster reconciliation with all neighboring countries," and "We are working on efforts to present approaches for engagement."

Earlier, President Prabowo visited Korea as a state guest in April and held a summit with President Lee at the Blue House. The two leaders elevated the previously established "special strategic partnership" from 2017 to a "special comprehensive strategic partnership," agreeing to further strengthen cooperation in areas such as defense and energy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.