VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

 Indonesia and South Korea have opened a new round of bilateral ties, after President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and President Moon Jae-in agreed to elevate the partnership between the two countries into a special strategic partnership in November 2017. South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia, Kim Chang-beom, told Antara News Agency, in Jakarta on Thursday ( April 19 ), that the two countries have been natural partners since the start of the diplomatic relations in 1973.

"We have never been involved in issues or conflicts but just ideas of collaboration and collaboration," he stated.

Moon`s visit to Indonesia last year was considered as a prelude to a further jump in a more intensive and substantive strategic partnership. South Korea, he continued, has been working intensively with Indonesia, especially in industry, culture, and research and development.

Now, he believed that Korean businessmen show more interest in infrastructure development, consumer goods trade, lifestyle products, healthcare, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, logistics, as well as cosmetics and beauty products.

"I think we are increasingly opening a new chapter in bilateral relations between Indonesia and South Korea," he noted.

South Korea and Indonesia agreed to strengthen cooperation in four specific areas, including the defense industry, increase in trade value, community exchange between both countries, and cooperation at regional and global level, during a meeting between Moon and Jokowi last year. Moon sees the cooperation between the two countries as being well at the moment, especially in areas of human rights protection, democracy, and economic growth.

"For future cooperation, we agree to enhance bilateral relations to specific strategic partnerships, in order to contribute to the ASEAN framework, as well as promote peace and prosperity throughout Asia," he pointed out.  ( antara )

 Indonesia`s external debt growth slowed at the end of February 2018 amounted US$356.2 billion consisting of government and central bank external debt of US$181.4 billion, as well as private external debt of USD174.8 billion. Indonesia`s external debt at the end of February 2018 grew at 9.5 percent (yoy), lower than previous month?s growth of 10,4 percent (yoy), influenced by slower public and private sector external debt growth, based on a statement from BI`s Communication Department in Jakarta, on Thursday ( April 19 ).

The development of the government`s external debt is in line with fiscal policy to accelerate economic growth through increased productive activities and investment. Government external debt at the end of February 2018 was recorded at US$177.9 billion consisting of US$121.5 billion of government securities/SBNs (SUN and SBSN/Sukuk) owned by nonresidents and US$56.3 billion of foreign loans. Government's external debt at the end of February 2017 was lower than that in the previous month, mainly due to the decrease in government securities owned by nonresident amounted to USD 3.0 billion.

Meanwhile, the cost of government`s external debt is getting lower along with the increasing investor confidence in Indonesia, supported by improving economic fundamentals and Indonesia`s credit rating. Government external debt is prioritized for productive activities and investment in order to support economic growth, as well as to support the ability to pay the external debt. Private's external debt growth slowed primarily due to the external debt in financial sector.

The year-on-year external debt growth of the financial sector at the end of February 2018 was 5.1 percent, slower than previous month?s growth of 6.7 percent. Meanwhile, the external debt in manufacturing, electricity, gas, and water supply, and mining sectors increased than previous month?s growth. The private sector external debt in the financial, manufacturing, electricity, gas & water supply, and mining sectors reached 72,2 percent, relatively unchanged from the previous period. The development of external debt in February 2018 remains manageable with healthy structure. The ratio of Indonesia?s external debt to gross domestic product (GDP) is stable at around 34 percent at the end of February 2018. ( antara ) 

The ratio is better than the average ratio of peer countries. Based on original maturity, the Indonesia?s external debt structure at the end of February 2018 remained dominated by long-term debt, accounted for 85.5 percent of total external debt.

Bank Indonesia in close coordination with the Government continues to monitor the development of external debt to optimize the external debt?s role in supporting development financing without incurring the risks that may affect macroeconomic stability.

Jakarta City Philharmonic -JCP, a city orchestra concert initiated by the Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) along with the Jakarta Arts Council (DKJ) holds an orchestra concert in 2018. This year, the JCP concert is held eight times at Taman Ismail Marzuki Jakarta Theater and starting on April 18th. The Music Committee of the Jakarta Arts Council, Aksan Sjuman in a press conference held in Jakarta on Wednesday, April 18th said that the public interest to attend this concert is very high. There are a number of online reservations reaching 1,700 reservations. Meanwhile, the capacity of seats is available as many as 1,200 seats. Due to this limited seating, the DKJ has to cancel 700 reservations.

“Because of the very high people’s interest, this month we must cancel 700 reservations. This building is only able to accommodate 1,200 people. So, 700 people from total 1,700 persons have to be cancelled,” Aksan said.

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He also added that during the two years of this concert in the title, there was a significant increase in visitors. In 2016, this concert is only visited by 200 people, while in 2017, it was visited by about 1,400 people. (Egi/Trans by Rezha)

Vice Governor of Jakarta, Sandiaga Uno said that the Jakarta city government supports the Jakarta City Philharmonic 2018. This was disclosed by Sandiaga Uno in his speech at the Jakarta Philharmonic Concert in Jakarta on Wednesday (April 18^th).

“…We will keep supporting the Jakarta City Philharmonic. This community is participative and collaborative part. After one year, the Philharmonic community has successfully created a good initiation. It is time for Jakarta government to attend and support a very positive activity for the people,” Sandiaga said.

In addition, Music Committee of the Jakarta Arts Council, Aksan Sjuman said that Jakarta City Philharmonic was formed to equip Jakarta as a metropolitan city. Just like any major city in the world, the presence of a professional orchestra is a cultural necessity of modern metropolitan city. (Egi/Trans by Rezha)