Foreign Minister Sugiono Will Visit North Korea, Indonesia's First Visit To Pyongyang Since 2013

Foreign Minister Sugiono was met after a bilateral meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel at the Pancasila Building of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jakarta, Thursday (9/10/2025). (ANTARA/Nabil Ihsan)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Foreign Minister (Menlu) Sugiono is scheduled to make a working visit to North Korea on October 10, 2025. This visit marks the first visit of Indonesia's highest diplomatic officials to Pyongyang in more than a decade, since Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa's visit in 2013.

Spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu), Yvonne Mewengang, said that the visit was made at an official invitation from the North Korean Foreign Minister, Choe Son-hui.

"The Foreign Minister will hold a bilateral meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui on October 11. This meeting will discuss strengthening cooperation in various fields, both bilateral, regional and global," said Yvonne in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, October 9.

According to Yvonne, this visit demonstrates Indonesia's commitment to continue to maintain constructive dialogue and cooperation with all partners in the East Asian region, including with North Korea.

In addition to attending bilateral meetings, Foreign Minister Sugiono is also scheduled to review the Pyongyang Indonesian Embassy (KBRI), which was only reactivated in the middle of this year after being closed since 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This visit is also an important momentum for Indonesia to strengthen its diplomatic presence in North Korea," said Yvonne.

For the record, the last visit of the Indonesian Foreign Minister to Pyongyang was carried out by Marty Natalegawa on October 21, 2013. At that time, the visit was focused on improving bilateral relations and discussing the stability of the Korean Peninsula region.

Diplomatic relations between Indonesia and North Korea have existed for a long time, since the era of President Soekarno and President Kim Il Sung. On September 18, 2024, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Pahala Mansury also received an honorary visit from North Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Park Sang Gil in Jakarta.

During the meeting, the two countries emphasized their commitment to strengthening cooperation in various sectors and supporting regional peace and stability efforts through dialogue and cooperation with ASEAN.