Land minister fortifies infra, city building cooperation with Indonesia

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

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Wed, November 29, 2023 | 07:25

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Land minister fortifies city building cooperation with Indonesia

Posted : 2023-03-19 16:14

Updated : 2023-03-20 15:52

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, center left, and Kao Kim Hourn, center right, Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), discuss ways to fortify cooperation between Korea and ASEAN nations during a meeting in Indonesia, March 17 (local time). Courtesy of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

By Lee Kyung-min

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong has met with top policymakers in Indonesia, in a move to fortify cooperation in the areas of mobility, infrastructure and city building, as well as overseas development assistance (ODA) in the logistics, aviation and transport industries, the ministry said Sunday.

The top transport policymaker is on a five-day trip to the Southeast country seeking expanded bilateral cooperation to help 52 strong industry players win large orders for development projects there.

Other than Indonesia's authorities, Won met with Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to advance the reciprocity between Korean and ASEAN nations, as pledged early during the summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Hourn November of last year.

"I hope to share knowledge and experience of Korea's policy drives and technological advancements with ASEAN nations," Won said during the meeting with Hourn, March 17.

Among the top priorities for the ASEAN countries are; establishing infrastructure for smart city building; future vehicles including electric vehicles (EV); and areas that will contribute to rapid modernization of cities and help in lessening traffic congestion.

"Tailored and selective implementation of Korea's advanced technologies will be able to help ASEAN peers see a major improvement overall," Hourn said in response, according to the ministry.

Won had a discussion with his Indonesian counterpart Budi Karya Sumadi, to seek the support of the country's transport authorities in helping more Korean firms to join the construction projects, including mass rapid transit (MRT) and light rail transit (LRT). Also known as heavy rail or metro, MRT is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. LRT is a form of passenger urban rail transit characterized by a combination of tram and rapid transit features.

"Korean builders' capabilities have been proven here, as illustrated by the 1A, or the first phase, completed for Jakarta LRT operation," Sumadi said, according to the ministry. "We hope Korea-Indonesia ties will deepen further for mutually beneficial goals."

The LRT project will proceed with increased participation of Korean state-run and private entities, as indicated by a one-on-one between Won and Heru Budi Hartono, acting governor of Jakarta. He has been head of the presidential secretariat since 2017.

"Years of collaborative works of privately run LG CNS, DAEA TI and Samjin Elex, and state-run Korea National Railway helped the successful operation of Jakarta LRT," Won said. "Korea hopes that more Korean builders will be able to oversee the next construction phase, 1B, for the Jakarta LRT."

The government will promptly follow up with a request that Korea should export "the soul of Korea," as quoted by Bambang Susantono, Indonesian transportation engineer and economist who has been the head of the Nusantara Capital City Authority since 2022.

"Korea will provide assistance in the form of sharing policy steps in the housing, construction, IT, mobility, culture and smart city sectors, for the better, safer living conditions for the people of Indonesia," Won said.

lkm@koreatimes.co.kr