TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Director General for National Export Development, Nus Nuzulia Ishak, said that Indonesia would use  the ASEAN-Korea Center to aim for the South Korean market, not only on trade issues but also on investment, culture and tourism.

“Indonesia can benefit from the openness of a more integrated market in Korea, in the end it can strengthen the export performance of Indonesia in Korean market,” Nuzulia said via e-mail on Sunday, February 16, 2014.

The ASEAN-Korea Center is a center for ASEAN-Korea cooperation in trade, investment, tourism and that culture, funded by South Korea. The Indonesian government is hoping the ASEAN-Korean Center  programs will raise the economic performance of ASEAN member states and Korea.

“For the 2014 fiscal year, the South Korean government’s contribution for the program has increased by 10 percent, reaching 6.6 billion won or approximately US$ 6.254 million,” Nuzulia said.

Indonesia continues to increase the competitiveness of leading products that will be marketed to South Korea. The potential products include furniture, textiles, processed food and beverage, as well as leather and leather products.

The trade volume between Indonesia and South Korea for the period of January-November 2013 reached US$ 21.098 billion, with US$ 10.493 billion from Indonesian exports  and US$ 10.605 billion from  imports., resulting in a deficit of US$ 111.82 for Indonesia