RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Agency (BKSAP) of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) highlighted the importance of protecting Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) as well as opportunities to export spice commodities to South Korea during a meeting with the delegation of the Korea–Indonesia Parliamentary Friendship Group at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday, March 12, 2026.

As quoted by dpr.go.id, the meeting, held under the agenda of a Friendly Talk, brought together the Deputy Chair of BKSAP and members of the Indonesia–South Korea Bilateral Cooperation Group (GKSB) with delegates from the South Korean parliament to discuss strengthening bilateral relations, including labor issues, trade, and other strategic cooperation.

Member of the Indonesia–South Korea GKSB Abraham Sridjaja said the number of Indonesian migrant workers in South Korea currently reaches around 60,000 people. Last year alone, the figure increased by around 11,000 workers.

“We conveyed to our counterparts in Korea that there are around 60,000 Indonesian migrant workers in the country. Last year there was even an increase of about 11,000 workers, so we asked the Korean parliament to ensure that there are regulations providing protection for our migrant workers,” Abraham said.

Responding to the matter, President of the Korea–Indonesia Parliamentary Friendship Group Kim Gihyeon stated that labor regulations in South Korea provide equal protection for migrant workers and Korean citizens.

Abraham explained that the Korean parliament conveyed that the rules applied to migrant workers are essentially the same as those applied to Korean nationals, meaning the protection provided is also equal.

In addition to the issue of migrant worker protection, both sides also discussed opportunities to strengthen economic cooperation through increased trade between businesses in the two countries, particularly for mid-sized entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Abraham further said one of the initiatives being encouraged is a business matching scheme to open opportunities for exports and imports of potential products between Indonesia and South Korea.

One of the commodities discussed was spices that can be used as raw materials for the cosmetics industry in South Korea.

“Spices used as raw materials for beauty cosmetics are one of the potentials we can promote in trade cooperation with South Korea,” Abraham conveyed.

In addition to economic cooperation, the meeting also touched on potential strategic cooperation in the defense sector, particularly related to main weapon systems (alutsista) projects currently being discussed by the governments of both countries.

According to him, further discussions on the cooperation will likely be detailed in the agenda of President Prabowo Subianto’s state visit to South Korea.