Enviro News Asia, Seoul — The Government of Indonesia has strengthened bilateral cooperation with the Korea Forest Service through the signing of two strategic agreements aimed at enhancing sustainable forest management and forest fire mitigation.
The agreements were signed by Raja Juli Antoni and Park Eunsik in Seoul, as part of Indonesia’s green diplomacy agenda during the state visit of Prabowo Subianto.
The first agreement, a Framework Arrangement on Cooperation on Priority Program in Forestry, establishes a strategic partnership covering sustainable forest management, mangrove and peatland rehabilitation, ecotourism development, social forestry, and forest carbon market initiatives to support climate action.
The second agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding on Forest Fire Management and Post-Fire Restoration Cooperation, focuses on strengthening collaboration in forest fire prevention, preparedness, emergency response, and post-fire recovery. The cooperation includes the use of advanced technologies such as satellite-based monitoring and capacity building for human resources.
During the meeting, the Korea Forest Service emphasized that Indonesia is its most strategic forestry partner, with its only overseas forestry representative office located at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Jakarta.
KFS also highlighted forest fire management as a national priority, supported by 55 firefighting helicopters and 755 personnel, with additional reinforcement from approximately 250 helicopters and 10,000 personnel across government, military, and emergency response units.
Furthermore, KFS announced plans to launch a forest fire monitoring satellite in September 2026, capable of real-time observation and covering up to 55 percent of Indonesia’s territory.
Minister Raja Juli Antoni welcomed the cooperation, emphasizing its importance in strengthening Indonesia’s preparedness for forest and land fires, particularly in anticipation of the projected El Niño phenomenon in mid-2026.
Both countries agreed to advance implementation through knowledge exchange, joint projects, technical training, and institutional collaboration under a Joint Consultation Committee mechanism.
The partnership builds upon more than four decades of Indonesia–South Korea cooperation in the forestry sector and reinforces their joint contribution to regional and global environmental initiatives. (*)
