A K-pop fan in Indonesia (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Jakarta, Nov. 8 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea holds the top spot as the most desired destination for Indonesians to visit, with over 60 percent expressing that they find the country “suitable” as a model for their own nation’s development.
A recent survey conducted by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Indonesia revealed that 30 percent of Indonesians aspiring to study, live, or work abroad selected South Korea as their top preference.
Saudi Arabia secured the second position at 12.1 percent, followed by Japan (10.4 percent), the United States (6.4 percent), and Malaysia (5.5 percent). Notably, South Korea’s rise to the top of this list is a noteworthy development, especially in a predominantly Muslim country like Indonesia, where Saudi Arabia, home to Mecca, is traditionally viewed as a must-visit destination.
When respondents were asked about their reasons for choosing South Korea, the most common factors included “high wages” (24.4 percent), “employment opportunities” (17.8 percent), “quality education” (9.2 percent), and the desire to meet K-pop idols (9.1 percent).
Moreover, a significant 92.4 percent of Indonesians reported awareness of Korea, with Korean culture, including dramas and K-pop, being the primary source of introduction (59.1 percent), followed by interaction with Korean people (11.9 percent), exposure to Korean products (11.1 percent), and interest in Korean sports (3.7 percent).
Indonesian President Joko Widodo visits HLI Green Power, a battery joint venture by LG Energy and Hyundai Motor on September 14. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
In terms of favorability, 58.3 percent of respondents expressed a positive opinion of Korea, while 22.2 percent had a less favorable perspective. It’s worth noting that a higher percentage of women (70.3 percent) held a favorable view of Korea compared to men (46.7 percent). Additionally, those who were younger, more educated, and resided in urban areas were more inclined to view Korea favorably, while older, less educated, and rural residents were less likely to do so.
The most common reasons for liking Korea included “I enjoy Korean dramas” (19.5 percent), followed by “I simply like it” (17.2 percent), the perception of Korea as a developed country (10.6 percent), and admiration for the beauty of Koreans (8.1 percent).
On the other hand, 22.2 percent of respondents expressed a negative sentiment toward Korea, with reasons ranging from “I just don’t like it” (18.8 percent) to “I lack sufficient knowledge about Korea” (9.3 percent).
In a separate inquiry about trust in Korea, 58.7 percent of respondents expressed trust, while 17.3 percent did not, reflecting results similar to the favorability survey.
Interestingly, when asked if South Korea could serve as a beneficial model for Indonesia’s national development, an impressive 62.2 percent answered affirmatively, surpassing the favorability and trust ratings. The embassy attributed this inclination to the recent endorsements of Korea as an economic development model by prominent Indonesian figures, including President Joko Widodo. In June, Jokowi, as he is known, emphasized the need to emulate South Korea’s success in escaping the middle-income trap through investments in human resources and technology.
The survey, conducted by the Indonesian polling organization LSI via telephone interviews, commemorates the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Indonesia.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
