ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – A number of Indonesian and South Korean Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are calling on the government of President Prabowo Subianto to implement a moratorium on the issuance of nickel mining permits in the country.
The call followed reports of environmental damage and social conflict in nickel mining areas. It is hoped that the moratorium will provide time to curb massive violations.
“Implementing a moratorium on the issuance of mining permits, especially nickel extraction in Indonesia, followed by an urgent review and evaluation of national policies and plans for nickel mining and downstream industrial development,” said Indies Director Kurniawan Sabar in a press release, quoted on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
These non-profit organizations realize that Indonesia is the world’s largest contributor of nickel. The nickel processing industry is also developing in Indonesia.
Even so, they believe that the negative impacts cannot be ignored. They say there is air pollution, deforestation, loss of biodiversity and land grabbing due to the absence of fair regulations that limit the development of this industry.
Support for the moratorium also came from South Korea’s Climate Ocean Research Institute (CORI). This institution assesses that South Korean investment growth in Indonesia is very fast.
For example, investment from South Korea to Indonesia in the nickel processing industry reached US$1.3 billion in the second quarter of 2024. This figure increased 1,200 percent from the same period in the previous year.
However, this investment is not balanced with awareness to prevent environmental and social impacts.
“Korean companies must be aware of these challenges and ensure their operations minimize environmental and social impacts on local communities,” said Hyelyn Kim, Chair of the Climate Ocean Research Institute (CORI).
Director of Advocates for Public Interest Law (APIL) Shin-young Chung said this had become a concern for civil society in South Korea. They have pushed for the draft Environmental Due Diligence and Human Rights In Supply Chains Act.
According to him, the law is important to ensure that Korean investment in other countries does not damage the environment or society.
He said the product follows the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
“Actually, we have submitted a draft law to parliament and it is targeted to be discussed last December. However, military emergency occurred and we don’t know when this draft will be discussed again. But we continue to push for this,” said Shin. (AT Network)
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