Seoul Honorary Citizenship Awarding Reflects Indonesia - South Korea Friendship

Thepresidentpost.id - Seoul, South Korea - The Indonesian Ambassador to Korea, Gandi Sulistiyanto, was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Seoul at Seoul City Hall, South Korea (26/10).

The Mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-Hoon, explained that the title was given to Ambassador Sulis as an appreciation for his services and contributions to strengthening bilateral cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Indonesia, especially between the Seoul Metropolitan Government and various city governments in Indonesia.

"At the beginning of his term, Ambassador Gandi Sulistiyanto facilitated the import of urea from Indonesia when Korea was facing a urea shortage for its industries. Additionally, the Indonesian Ambassador actively promoted cooperation between businesses and the creative economy of both countries," Mayor Oh added.

In his speech, Ambassador Sulis expressed his deep gratitude and appreciation to the Mayor of Seoul for bestowing upon him the title of Honorary Citizen. He mentioned that this title was “dedicated not only to his colleagues at the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, but also to all Indonesian citizens residing in South Korea”. He added, "President Joko Widodo was the first Indonesian citizen to receive this honor in 2016. I am the second Indonesian Ambassador to receive this title, following my predecessor, Ambassador Umar Hadi, who received a similar title in 2021."

Ambassador Sulis explained that during his one year and ten months of service in Korea, the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul has been actively promoting cooperation between governments, the private sector, and the communities. Since 1984, the city of Seoul has had a Sister City cooperation with Jakarta, and next year will mark the 40th year of this partnership.

The strong relationship between the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul was evident during the celebration of Indonesia's 78th Independence Day, where Seoul City Hall was lit with the colors of the Indonesian flag, red and white.

Referring to the commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Friendship between Indonesia and Korea in 2023, Ambassador Sulis mentioned that the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul organized four business forums in trade, finance, and investment; the launch of the Indonesian batik-designed Hyundai IONIQ 5 electric car; the publication of a book about President Joko Widodo and Pancasila in the Korean language; and the organization of three Indonesian Festivals in Ansan, Busan, and Seoul.

Thanks to the permission and assistance of the Mayor of Seoul, the Indonesia Festival held in Seoul, which was attended by over 10,000 visitors, was held at Gwanghwamun Plaza, a central attraction in Seoul.

In 2022, Indonesia-South Korea trade reached a record of USD 24.5 billion. Korean investments in Indonesia also increased by 40.06% to USD 2.29 billion. The implementation of the Indonesia-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement is expected to further enhance trade between the two countries.

The strengthening of cooperation in education and human resources is being led by the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul through the International Talent Pool Management Program, which enables Indonesian university graduates to pursue careers in South Korea. The Indonesian Embassy in Seoul is intensifying collaboration between creative players in both countries and has organized the first forum to promote digital entrepreneurship and startups.

The award ceremony for the Honorary Citizen of Seoul held at Seoul City Hall was also attended by the Deputy Head of the Indonesian Mission in Seoul, four Functional Coordinators of the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, the Ambassador for International Relations of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Deputy Mayor for Economic Policy, as well as the Director of the Development and International Cooperation Division.

Following the event, Ambassador Sulis was interviewed by several media outlets, including SEA News, KBS Radio, Maekyung MBN, Korea Times, Korea Herald, and Joongang Ilbo.