A Ministerial Citation from the Minister of KFS for Mr. Sugeng Marsudiarto of KIFC

Forestry cooperation between Indonesia and Korea has been a very long time, even before the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Beginning in 1968, when the Korean company, namely PT. KODECO obtain concession permit in Batu Licin- South Kalimantan, and then followed by several other Korean companies, such as PT. KORINDO and Gyeongnam Kyouk.

After establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1973, the cooperation between the two countries in the field of forestry continues to evolve. In 1979, was established Indonesia-Korea Forestry Committee (IKFC) in Jakarta. This is a meeting forum held every two years for discussing issues about forestry collaboration.

Then, in 2007 the forestry cooperation was further developed in the field of education and training, by involving universities, research institutions and private forestry.  For the operation of this collaboration, in the same year was established a communication forum among the parties, called IKFF (Indonesia-Korea Forest Forum).

To respond the increasing forestry cooperation between the two countries, the Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia and The Korea Forest Service agreed to establish Korea-Indonesia Forest Center (KIFC) in the year of 2010.  The main task of KIFC is facilitating, supporting, monitoring and evaluation of projects  cooperation between Korea and Indonesia in the field of forestry.  Since then, the activities of forestry collaboration is increasing.

For the operation of the KIFC, both the Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia  and the Korea Forest Service appoint a representative as Director and Co-Director in the KIFC. Mr. Oh Key Pyo and Mr. Sugeng Marsudiarto  were appointed as the representative of the two parties respectively.

Both Mr. Oh Key Pyo and Mr. Sugeng Marsudiarto have been giving their contribution to the forest cooperation between Korea and Indonesia.  Some collaboration projects has been implemented, such as the development of Sentul Eco-Edu Tourism Forest, located at Sentul – Bogor, the Development of Tunak Recreation Forest at Nusa Tenggara Barat Province, Rumpin Seed Source and Nursery Center (RSSNC) at Rumpin Bogor, FMU/REDD+ Joint Project at Tasik Besar Serkap – Riau and other collaboration projects.

For the dedicated service and contribution of Mr. Sugeng Marsudiarto, the Ministry of Korea Forest Service gave him a Ministerial Citation.  His Excellency Mr. Cho Tai Young, the Korean Ambassador to Indonesia had handed over the Citation to Mr. Sugeng Marsudiarto on 12 January 2016  at the Embassy of Korea – Jakarta.