November 6, 2025 | 05:44 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto acknowledges South Korea's toughness. He said it's not easy to negotiate with South Korea. He then mentioned the toughness of the people of Papua.
"So, negotiating with Koreans is not easy. So, it's okay to send Papuans to the Koreans. They are a tough nation," said Prabowo during his speech at the inauguration of the New Ethylene Project PT Lotte Chemical Indonesia factory in Cilegon, Banten, on Thursday, November 6, 2025, as monitored on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube.
The Head of State initially admired South Korea's toughness. Prabowo felt that South Korea worked hard to establish a modern nation.
"They are a nation capable of establishing a modern nation from the rubble of war, from the battlefield," he said.
According to Prabowo, Korea is a country that has often been invaded by other countries. They share the same fate as Indonesia, which was once colonized. However, they are resilient, steadfast, and disciplined.
"Perhaps they don't have as many natural resources, but their human resources and leaders are tough," he said.
Prabowo Subianto then recounted his experience when the Kopassus troops were trained in judo by a South Korean trainer. The trainer refused to take a break on Christmas and Eid al-Fitr. Prabowo considered that the trainer taught good work ethics.
According to Prabowo, this attitude shows South Korea's toughness. He also mentioned Papua's resilience.
"So, negotiating with Koreans is not easy," he said.
Prabowo inaugurated the New Ethylene Project PT Lotte Chemical Indonesia factory in Cilegon, Banten. Prabowo stated that the operational inauguration of the factory is a proud achievement, and the government is committed to continuing to support foreign investment.
"I, Prabowo Subianto, President of the Republic of Indonesia, inaugurate PT Lotte Chemical Indonesia, located in Cilegon, Banten," he said in Cilegon, Banten, on Thursday, November 6, 2025.
The project, developed by a South Korean company, is the fifth global-scale factory and the largest modern petrochemical facility in Indonesia.
PT Lotte Chemical Indonesia (LCI), which stands on an area of 107.8 hectares or about 1.08 million square meters, involved an investment of around US$4 billion or about Rp66.84 trillion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp16,710 per U.S. dollar).
LCI targets production capacity for several strategic petrochemical products. The factory is designed to produce 1,000 kilotons per year (kTA) of ethylene, 520 kTA of propylene, 350 kTA of polypropylene, and 140 kTA of butadiene.
The facility will also produce 400 kTA of BTX (benzene/toluene/xylene) and employ tens of thousands of workers. The fifth factory, following those in Korea, Mexico, the United States, and Malaysia, will establish a global chemical marketing network with an estimated annual sales volume of $56 billion in 2024.
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