Fact Check: Indonesia secures investments, not loans, for specific programs from South Korea and Japan

Social media posts circulating since August 6, 2026, falsely claim that Indonesia has secured new loans totaling over Rp500 trillion from South Korea and Japan. These alleged funds are purportedly intended to finance the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program and the Red-and-White Village Cooperative (KDMP).

The narrative is often accompanied by a photograph of President Prabowo Subianto shaking hands with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Some posts also assert that Indonesia's total government debt has exceeded Rp15,000 trillion. However, fact-checking by Tempo has debunked these claims.

While Indonesia has indeed secured investment commitments amounting to IDR 574 trillion from South Korea and Japan, these funds are not earmarked for the MBG or KDMP programs. Investments from South Korea, totaling Rp173 trillion, are directed towards the energy and green transition sectors, industry, manufacturing, and the digital economy. Japanese investments, amounting to IDR 401 trillion, target the oil and gas sector, financial services, and creative industries.

The photograph used in the posts, showing President Prabowo with President Lee, actually depicts a moment of condolence. The image originated from a TikTok post by Kompas.com and captures President Lee offering condolences to President Prabowo regarding the deaths of three Indonesian soldiers in Lebanon due to an Israeli attack. This exchange occurred during Prabowo's visit to South Korea on April 1, 2026.

The Indonesian government funds the MBG program through the education sector budget, allocating Rp240 trillion for it in the 2027 State Budget. Financing for KDMP facilities in 2026 comes from bank loans extended to PT Agro Industri Nasional (Agrinas), with a ceiling of up to Rp3 billion per unit.