President Lee Jae Myung and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto shake hands at Cheong Wa Dae ahead of their expanded summit on April 1. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto shake hands at Cheong Wa Dae ahead of their expanded summit on April 1. [Yonhap]

Cheong Wa Dae said Saturday that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto "can play a constructive role" after he indicated he would travel to North Korea if President Lee Jae Myung asked him to.

"The government believes that countries maintaining friendly relations with both South and North Korea, including Indonesia, can play a constructive role in realizing peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula, and we have been continuously exploring related cooperation measures," a Cheong Wa Dae official said.

At the South Korea-Indonesia summit on April 1, Cheong Wa Dae said Lee had explained the government's policy on peaceful coexistence and co-prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and its efforts to resume inter-Korean dialogue, and had asked Indonesia to play a constructive role. Prabowo reaffirmed his support for denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula, it added.

According to Reuters, Prabowo told a meeting of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce on Friday that Lee had asked him during their April summit to facilitate dialogue with North Korea.

Prabowo said Lee had proposed that he "visit North Korea and start a dialogue of some kind," and that he had responded with "utmost respect and willingness" by saying, "If you ask me to go, I will go."

He added that Indonesia "is perceived as a country that has no interest in interfering in the internal affairs of other nations, and we firmly uphold that principle."

Prabowo had previously offered to mediate in March over the war involving Iran.


moone@heraldcorp.com