S Korea intending to increase imports from Indonesia

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A 20-member South Korean business delegation is visiting Indonesia to explore the possibility of importing non-oil/non-gas commodities, such as bauxite, scrap iron,, textiles, handicraft goods, leather and foods.

The South Korean businessmen met with 50 Indonesian business partners to follow up on the agreement between the two countries to enhance cooperation.

"Korea is Indonesia`s important trade and investment partner. Two-way trade in 2006 reached US$10.57 billion, up 6.17 percent from 2005," Secretary General of the Indonesian Trade Ministry Hatanto Reksodipoetro said in his address to the meeting here on Monday.

South Korea was the sixth biggest market for Indonesia`s non-oil/non-gas commodities last year with total imports reaching US$3.4 billion. Meanwhile, Indonesia imported US$2.8 billion worth of commodities from South Korea last year.

"Trade between Indonesia and South Korea still can be enhanced and developed if such a meeting can be held regularly," he said.