KUALA LUMPUR - Speaker of Indonesia’s House of Representatives, Puan Maharani Nakshatra Kusyala Devi, hosted a state visit by South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik at the Parliament Complex in Central Jakarta, last Thursday.

The meeting aimed to strengthen bilateral ties and prioritise the welfare of Indonesian migrant workers in South Korea.

It took the form of a formal parliamentary reception focused on aligning legislative support for labor protection and strategic cooperation.

“On behalf of Indonesia, we would like to thank the Republic of Korea for opening employment opportunities for tens of thousands of Indonesian migrant workers across various sectors,” Maharani said, as quoted by Antara.

She stressed that the Indonesian parliament remains deeply concerned about protecting workers who contribute to South Korea’s economy.

Maharani highlighted key areas for improvement, including better pre-departure training, closer monitoring of working conditions, and strict enforcement against labor violations.

She also expressed gratitude for protective measures already implemented by the South Korean government.

“We appreciate South Korea's steps in improving labor regulations for foreign workers and the close cooperation with Indonesian representatives in Seoul to ensure every Indonesian migrant worker in Korea can work safely, with dignity, and receive their full rights,” she explained.

Maharani noted that cooperation between the two nations has grown rapidly over their 53 years of diplomatic relations.

“Today, Indonesia and the Republic of Korea are special strategic partners who will continue to work together to provide direct benefits to the people of both countries,” Maharani clarified.

She added that the partnership should remain grounded in shared values like democracy, human rights, and fair multilateralism, especially during uncertain global times.

“This commitment becomes increasingly important amidst the current global situation filled with uncertainty," Maharani added.

On trade, Maharani stressed joint efforts to remove non-tariff barriers, such as aligning standards and certifications to ease trade flows.

“We hope this step increases access for the superior products of both countries to each other's markets. I am confident that the Indonesian Government will continue to strengthen business certainty through simplified licensing and updated investment regulations,” she said.

Maharani said combining government policy and parliamentary support will take economic cooperation to a more strategic and mutually beneficial level.

In response, Woo Won-Shik affirmed South Korea’s commitment to investing in Indonesia and pledged continued support for the nation’s development goals, including the ‘Indonesia Golden 2045’ vision.