Indonesia has been elected as the chair of the ASEAN Korea Center (AKC) Tourism and Culture Working Group at its first session in 2024, Head of the Culture and Tourism Cooperation Division of the ASEAN Korea Center Secretariat Alex Macatuno said in Seoul, Korea on Wednesday.
“Of the 11 representatives of ASEAN member states in Seoul, Indonesia was elected to chair the ASEAN Korea Center Tourism and Culture Working Group at its first session in 2024. The Indonesian Embassy in Seoul is the Chair and the Lao Democratic Embassy in Seoul is the representative,” Alex Macatuno said in a press release from the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul here on Wednesday.
The Coordinator of the Creative and Digital Economy Function of the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, Joannes Ekaprasetya Tandjung, and representatives from the Lao Embassy Soudavanh chaired the first session which discussed two main agendas, namely reports on activities during the 2023 period and the 2024 work plan.
“Indonesia’s leadership in the 2024 ASEAN Korea Center Culture and Tourism Working Group will serve as a mouthpiece that not only voices the tourism and cultural interests of ASEAN Committee in Seoul countries to the AKC, but also seeks wider cooperation gaps based on culture and tourism for closer friendship between ASEAN countries and South Korea,” he said.
Activities during the 2023 period include organizing ASEAN Week 2023, making AKC-sponsored tourism promotion videos of ASEAN countries, ASEAN Digital Library and Sustainable Tourism Development Forum.
Indonesia’s leadership in the AKC Working Group is essential as it directs the tourism and cultural cooperation strategy between ASEAN member states and South Korea for the next one year.
Indonesia as the AKC Working Group Leader plays an important role in facilitating the interests of ASEAN Committee in Seoul member countries with the AKC Secretariat regarding the planning and realization of cultural promotion and tourism exchange programs.
In addition, Indonesia is also responsible for establishing communication between representatives of ASEAN member countries in Seoul with AKC-related organizations such as the Executive Board. The Working Group Chair is also tasked with facilitating other strategic issues in the tourism and culture sector between representatives of ASEAN member countries.
Indonesia’s leadership in the AKC Working Group reflects the recognition not only from the representatives of ASEAN countries in Seoul, but also from the AKC Secretariat for Indonesia’s integral role in strengthening cooperation between representatives of ASEAN countries and South Korea in the tourism and culture sector.
In addition to enhancing economic growth and sustainable development, cultural and tourism cooperation serves to bring friendship closer and strengthen ASEAN and South Korea’s partnership.
Socio-cultural cooperation is one of the pillars of the ASEAN Economic Community contained in the ASEAN Socio-Economic Community Blueprint 2025.
