Jakarta --- Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas said that the Indonesian government is ready to facilitate and make it easier for South Korea to accelerate the process of halal product certification.

This was stated by the Minister of Religious Affairs when he hosted the South Korean Minister of Agriculture, Rural Affairs and Food Chung Hwangeun in a bilateral meeting at the Head Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, on Jl Banteng Square, Central Jakarta.

Previously, this morning, the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of South Korea signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation (MoU) on Halal Product Assurance (JPH). The signing was carried out by the Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Affairs and Food Chung Hwangeun and witnessed directly by the Presidents of both countries at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta.

"We have been ordered by President Jokowi to make it easier for friendly countries to prepare halal certification, of course this also applies to South Korea," said Minister Yaqut at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Office, Friday (8/9/2023) afternoon.

"Therefore, we are committed to providing convenience to South Korea, so that their products can enter Indonesia after the halal certification process," he explained.

The provision of this convenience, continued the Minister, is related to the implementation of the Omnibus Law which has mandated all products entering Indonesia to be certified halal by October 2024.

The Minister of Religious Affairs also said that the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs' Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH) had visited South Korea and had carried out an assessment of the Foreign Halal Institutions (LHLN) there.

He also appreciated the quick movement taken by South Korea regarding the implementation of the halal certification issuance process. "This shows fast movement from Korea, therefore it must be welcomed by our team's fast movement too. Once again, we will provide all adequate efforts and facilities regarding this halal certification," he said.

The Minister of Religious Affairs aware that Indonesian people are currently fond of several things related to Korea, including food and drink products. Therefore, it is important for the Ministry of Religious Affairs to help South Korea so that this can be resolved quickly.

Meanwhile, the South Korean Minister of Agriculture, Rural Affairs and Food Chung Hwangeun expressed his deepest gratitude to the Ministry of Religious Affairs for welcoming him warmly.

Chung Hwangeun is aware that Indonesia is a large country with the largest Muslim population in the world. So, the halal market in Indonesia is very large. Therefore, he asked for support from the Indonesian government regarding the halal certification process.

“Our countries are friends, previously our presidents often met. This shows our closeness is quite close. This meeting was of course also held to strengthen and improve our relations in various sectors, one of which is related to halal," he said.

He was also grateful for the good response from the Ministry of Religious Affairs in responding to this halal product guarantee collaboration.