- Indonesia and South Korea agreed to deepen AI cooperation, focusing on digital talent, infrastructure, and ethical governance rooted in Asian values.
- South Korea shared plans for a national AI textbook and emphasized early AI education, while Indonesia highlighted its digital literacy efforts.
- Both nations supported joint research and ASEAN’s regional LLM initiative, aiming for inclusive and culturally relevant AI development.
Indonesia and South Korea have reaffirmed their commitment to advancing cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), with a focus on digital talent development, supporting infrastructure, and culturally grounded governance. The two nations held bilateral talks on June 26 during the UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of AI in Bangkok, Thailand.
The meeting brought together Indonesian Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Nezar Patria, and Prof. Sang-Wook Yi, Head of the Ethics and Security Division of South Korea’s National Committee for AI Strategy. Discussions centered on aligning AI development with shared Asian values, such as mutual cooperation, respect for elders, and social harmony.
“Indonesia sees Korea as a key partner in digital transformation. Korea’s experience in integrating research, ethics, and implementation of AI across various sectors is highly relevant to our national strategy”, said Deputy Minister Patria in an official statement.
South Korea’s robust commitment to AI development was emphasized by Prof. Yi, who shared that the country allocates three percent of its GDP to AI—well above the global average. He also noted South Korea's initiative to roll out a national AI textbook by the end of the year, aimed at fostering AI literacy from early education.
On the topic of AI in education, both parties highlighted the importance of coupling AI learning with a strong understanding of its ethical implications. Prof. Yi cited OECD findings that there is currently no strong empirical evidence linking AI education to improved student outcomes, calling for more thorough evaluation.
In response, Patria noted Indonesia’s efforts to integrate AI and coding education into its school system while promoting critical digital literacy to mitigate potential risks. He also extended an invitation to Prof. Yi to visit Jakarta for further dialogue with policymakers.
The meeting also explored potential collaboration in joint research initiatives, university partnerships, and the creation of AI ethics curricula tailored to local cultural contexts. Both sides voiced support for ASEAN’s regional initiative to develop a collective Large Language Model (ASEAN LLM), viewing it as a vital step toward regional AI sovereignty.
“Indonesia is committed to building an inclusive, ethical, and collaborative AI future”, Patria said. “We hope today’s meeting marks the beginning of a long and meaningful partnership”.
