Jakarta. The South Korean Embassy in Indonesia, in collaboration with the Indonesia Strategic and Defence Studies (ISDS) and Friends of Korea, and supported by the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, has launched a national writing competition for university students, offering tens of millions of rupiah in prizes to 20 winners.

The competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students studying in Indonesia and South Korea.

The initiative marks the elevation of bilateral ties between the two countries from a “Special Strategic Partnership” to a “Special Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” (SCSP), following President Prabowo Subianto’s state visit to South Korea in April 2026.

Under the theme “Indonesia–Korea Special Comprehensive Strategic Partnership: Expanding Collaboration, Building a Shared Future,” the competition will accept submissions from Oct. 13 to Nov. 27, 2026.

The South Korean Embassy hopes the competition will encourage younger generations to share their ideas on the future of Indonesia–South Korea relations and help foster deeper discussions on bilateral ties.

Further information on the competition guidelines and registration procedures is available through the South Korean Embassy’s official Instagram account, @koremb.idn; ISDS’s Instagram account, @isds.indonesia; the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul’s Instagram account, @indonesiainseoul; and the ISDS website at https://www.isds.co.id/lomba-menulis-isds-2026/.

Strengthening Students’ Literacy and Awareness
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia Rector Prof. Didi Sukyadi welcomed the competition, saying it provides students with an opportunity to contribute their thoughts on the direction of Indonesia–South Korea relations. Didi is also one of the competition’s judges.

“Students need opportunities to understand bilateral issues, assess their opportunities and challenges, and then present ideas based on knowledge and sound arguments,” Didi said.

He hopes participants will produce original, data-driven ideas that are sensitive to the needs of society. Strong submissions, he said, should clearly identify an issue, explain why it matters to both countries, and offer practical solutions.

From an educational perspective, the competition helps develop literacy, critical thinking and awareness of international issues. The currently high level of interest in South Korea, he added, could grow into a deeper understanding of the country's education, economy, technology, culture and society.

“I see the involvement of Friends of Korea as an opportunity to broaden public participation in Indonesia–South Korea relations. People-to-people ties grow through encounters, dialogue and shared experiences. Communities can help create such opportunities in ways that are closer to the everyday lives of younger generations,” said Didi, who is also a member of Friends of Korea.

Through initiatives such as the writing competition, interest in South Korea can be channelled into more meaningful exchanges of ideas.

“At the same time, South Korean society should also have opportunities to learn about Indonesia and its diversity of languages, cultures and perspectives. Mutual understanding will strengthen mutual respect,” he added.

Meanwhile, ISDS CEO and Co-founder Edna Caroline hopes the competition will attract broad participation from Indonesian students, both those studying domestically and those pursuing their education in South Korea.

She encouraged young people to actively participate by presenting creative, critical and constructive ideas on opportunities to strengthen bilateral relations.

“Through this competition, we hope students will not only view Indonesia–South Korea relations from the perspective of existing cooperation, but also be able to offer new ideas to expand collaboration in the future. We invite students from various academic disciplines to participate and share their best ideas,” Edna said.

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