The Domestic Sources of Indonesia’s Relations With North and South Korea: Pragmatism, Leadership and Regime Legitimacy

On the occasion of the 72nd birthday of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in September 2020, President Jokowi arranged to have flowers sent to President Kim Jong-un through the Indonesian Embassy in Pyongyang. This chapter seeks to examine the dynamics of Indonesia’s relations with the two Koreas. It shows that economic and political pragmatism are among the main elements of Indonesia’s foreign policy toward North and South Korea. The chapter argues that Indonesia’s foreign policy toward North and South Korea needs to be seen in the domestic context whereby subsequent regimes in Jakarta try to cement their respective political legitimacy through economic development. Cooperation in the energy sector was also an important component of Indonesia – South Korea relations during the Suharto regime.