The Korean Culture and Information Service, an affiliate of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, on Aug. 8 at 9 a.m. Korean Standard Time will launch an Indonesian-language section. Shown is the main page of the new section. (Screen captured from Korea.net's Indonesian-language section)

By Park Hye Ri

Korea.net, the official multilanguage portal of the Korean government, is now promoting Korean culture to the world in Indonesian.

The Korean Culture and Information Service, an affiliate of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, on Aug. 8 at 9 a.m. Korean Standard Time is launching an Indonesian-language section (indonesian.korea.net).

Thus the site is now offered in 10 languages, with the other nine being English, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese, German, French, Russian and Vietnamese.

The Indonesian-language section is divided into News Focus, featuring global news on Korea and content by Korea.net's Honorary Reporters; About Korea, which contains facts about Korean history, culture, arts and tourism; Event, which promotes exhibitions, including ones at Korean Cultural Centers abroad; and Government, which explains the governing activities and main policies of the Korean government.

In Indonesian, the section features not only major news related to Korea both at home and abroad but also that on Indonesia that happens in Korea and breaking news about Korea in Indonesia.

Comprising 41% of the combined populations of member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and 34% of the region's GDP, Indonesia has seen Hallyu's popularity spread rapidly. A report released in May by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange on the 2021 ripple effects of Hallyu in 18 select countries said Indonesia had the second-highest consumption rate of Hallyu (23.17%) in Southeast Asia after Thailand (26.71%).

Among the 12th annual class of Honorary Reporters selected this year comprising 4,834 people from 122 countries, Indonesia had the third most (403) after Egypt (640) and Mexico (422), reflecting red-hot Indonesian interest in the Korean Wave.

Next year, Korea and Indonesia will mark their 50th anniversary of bilateral ties. Indonesia also has the distinction of being the only ASEAN country to have a "special strategic partnership" with Korea, which was concluded in 2017.

To respond to the ever-increasing demand for Hallyu in Indonesia, a close ally of Korea, Korea.net spent around two years preparing to open its Indonesian-language section.

KOCIS Director Park Myeongsun said, "I expect Korea.net's Indonesian-language site to serve as a bridge between the people of the two countries and promote Korean culture in Indonesia."

hrhr@korea.kr