VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

North Korea on Monday slammed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for criticising its cooperation with Moscow following leader Kim Jong Un's Russia visit, saying it is "natural" and "normal" for neighbours to keep close relations.

Yoon, speaking at the U.N. General Assembly last week, said that if Russia helped North Korea enhance its weapons programmes in return for assistance for its war in Ukraine, it would be "a direct provocation."

In a piece carried by KCNA news agency, the North denounced Yoon for "malignantly" slandering its friendly cooperation with Russia, and said Yoon was serving as a "loudspeaker" for the United States.

"It is quite natural and normal for neighbouring countries to keep close relations with each other, and there is no reason to call such practice to account," it said.

Kim returned home last week from a week-long trip to Russia in which he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to boost military and economic cooperation.

U.S. and South Korean officials have expressed concern that Russia could be trying to acquire ammunition from the North to supplement its dwindling stocks for the war in Ukraine while Pyongyang seeks technological help for its nuclear and missile programmes.

Any activities assisting North Korea's weapons programmes are banned under U.N. Security Council resolutions.

"The foreign policy of the DPRK ... will not be tied to anything, and its friendly and cooperative relations with the close neighbours will continue to grow stronger," the commentary said. DPRK is the initials of the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. (Reuters)

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been moved to a new jail with better facilities near the national capital Islamabad after a court order, his lawyer said on Monday.

Khan was jailed in August in connection with a corruption case. A court suspended his prison term weeks later but a prior order for him to be remanded in custody in a case related to charges of leaking state secrets case prevented his release. (Reuters)

VOINews, Jakarta - A total of 62 member countries of the Electronic Navigational Chart Working Group (ENCWG) expressed support for the formulation of Indonesia's new marine electronic navigational chart (ENC) standard, Indonesian Navy's Hydro-Oceanographic Center stated.

In West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Monday, the center's commander, Vice Admiral Nurhidayat, explained that the formulation of the marine navigational chart standard aims to provide better protection to shipping activities.

"The implementation (of the standard) will begin in 2024. This navigation system will be accessible through smartphones," he remarked during the 8th meeting of the ENCWG.

According to the commander, Indonesia is still referring to an old standard in managing its electronic navigation chart.

Nurhidayat expressed belief that the formulation and implementation of a new standard for Indonesia's ENC would provide convenience to countries in monitoring the situation and condition of seas in Indonesia, especially in the southern waters covering Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara provinces.

"Hence, this meeting takes place to formulate a navigational standard that will be inseparable from other countries," he emphasized.

Furthermore, Nurhayat remarked that delegates from ENCWG member countries had been assisting Indonesia in formulating the new standard by providing suggestions and considerations.

"By using the new navigational system, we will also be able to monitor underwater movements. This can also provide complementary data to BMKG (Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency) and the National Research and Innovation Agency," he noted.

The 8th meeting of the ENCWG is being held in Senggigi, West Lombok District, and draws participation from delegates of 62 member countries of the working group, such as France, Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Sweden, Finland, Canada, Denmark, India, the Netherlands, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - The 2023 Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum Summit can result in agreements that lead to improving the quality of coastal and marine ecosystems, a government official said.

"Agreements at the regional and global levels can improve the quality of coastal and marine ecosystems, especially (in preventing) marine pollution by plastic waste," Head of the Jakarta Food Security, Marine, and Agriculture (KPKP) Office Suharini Eliawati told ANTARA here on Monday.

Eliawati noted that the 2023 AIS Forum, which will discuss about marine pollution as one of the issues, can lead to agreements at the regional and global levels.

The AIS Forum Summit will be held on October 10-11, 2023, in Bali, with the theme of "Fostering Collaboration, Enabling Innovation for Our Ocean and Our Future."

She reminded that pollution in the sea does not only come from one source of location but also from various regions in the world, as countries are connected by sea.

According to Eliawati, waste and other pollutants that pollute the Jakarta sea not only come from the Jakarta area but also from other regions or even countries.

She noted that the declining quality of coastal and marine ecosystems can affect ecological, social, and economic aspects, among others.

Eliawati explained that plastic waste in the sea can deteriorate coastal aesthetics and beauty, thereby harming potential marine tourism development.

Speaking in terms of the ecological aspect, she cautioned that plastic waste can harm marine life, and the content of microplastics that enter the body of fish can affect human health.

In terms of the economic aspect, the decreasing environmental quality will lead to low interest in investing and developing maritime-based activities, such as marine tourism, fisheries, and sea transportation.

"Therefore, handling plastic waste in coastal areas is important and needs to be implemented immediately," Eliawati stated. (antaranews)