Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung

Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung
Ambassador of Indonesia to the Netherlands
Assumed office
8 October 2025
PresidentPrabowo Subianto
Preceded byMayerfas
Director General of International Law and Treaties
Assumed office
27 April 2022
Preceded byDamos Dumoli Agusman
Inspector General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Acting
In office
13 June 2025 – 17 September 2025
Preceded byIbnu Wahyutomo
Succeeded byDindin Wahyudin
Ambassador of Indonesia to the Holy See
In office
14 September 2020 – 30 June 2022
PresidentJoko Widodo
Preceded byAntonius Agus Sriyono
Succeeded byMichael Trias Kuncahyono
Personal details
Born (1967-06-18) June 18, 1967
Nanggulan, Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
SpouseBertha Lusiana
Children2
EducationGadjah Mada University (S.H.)
Cornell Law School (LL.M.)

Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung (born 18 June 1967) is an Indonesian diplomat who is currently serving as director general of international law and treaties in the foreign ministry since 2022 and ambassador to the Netherlands since 2025. Prior to his appointment, he served as ambassador to the Holy See and director of economic law and treaties.

Early life and education

Born on 18 June 1967 in Nanggulan, Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung is the seventh of nine children born to Paulus K. Kasmodihardjo, an elementary school teacher, and Climentina Sutinem, a village nurse. He remembers his family's life as not being easy and recalls his father's determination to provide a good education for all his children, at least to the university level. His parents also instilled in their children a strong religious faith, with regular attendance at mass, family prayers, and a devotional habit of his father to visit the Marian grotto in Sendangsono every First Friday. The family also had a strong tolerance as they would joyfully celebrate Eid al-Fitr with their Muslim neighbors.[1]

Jinangkung completed his elementary and middle school education in Nanggulan before continuing to high school at Kolese de Britto in Yogyakarta. He then studied law at the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta in 1986, graduating in 1992.[2] Although he initially aspired to be a military officer, he changed his mind at the end of his studies at UGM and chose to pursue a career in the foreign department. He later continued his formal education abroad, earning a master's degree in law (LL.M) from Cornell Law School in Ithaca, New York, between 1997 and 1998.[2] He also completed courses at the Economic Institute at Colorado University in 1997 and a Maritime Boundary Delimitation Course at IBRU-Durham University in England in 2004.[1]

Career

Jinangkung's entered the foreign ministry in 1993, beginning his career upon completing basic diplomatic education in 1994. Over the years, he was assigned to several of Indonesia's overseas missions in Vienna, The Hague, and Washington, D.C. From 2000 to 2003, he served at the embassy in Washington with the rank of second secretary. He then returned to Indonesia to serve as the chief of maritime boundaries section until 2006, where he provided legal advice to the department in negotiating maritime boundaries with the neighboring countries. During this time, he attended the mid-level diplomatic course in 2005. From there, he was posted to the political section of the embassy in The Hague with the rank of counselor until 2010. He was subsequently recalled to Indonesia to serve as deputy director (chief of subdirectorate) for economic treaties. At the same time, in 2011 he attended the senior diplomatic education.[1] On 21 November 2016, he was appointed as the director of economic, social, and cultural treaties in the foreign ministry.[3] He did not held the office for long, as on 3 January 2017 he was installed as the director of economic law and treaties.[4]

In May 2020, Jinangkung was nominated by President Joko Widodo as ambassador to the Holy See.[5][6] After undergoing an assessment by the House of Representative's first commission on 17 June 2020,[7] he was installed on 14 September.[8] He presented his credentials to Pope Francis on 7 December 2020.[9][10]

At the start of his tenure, he was responsible for the preparation for a planned pastoral visit of Pope Francis to Indonesia, which was ultimately postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][11] Jinangkung stated that he has found great joy in connecting with the large Indonesian community of priests, nuns, and seminarians, and he would offer them moral support and encouragement to study well and return to Indonesia to continue their missions.[1] Jinangkung also promoted positive narratives about Indonesia to the international community in the Vatican, and initiated collaboration between Indonesian Catholic journalists and the Vatican Press Office to increase coverage of Indonesian news.[12]

On 27 April 2022, Jinangkung was installed as the director general of international law and treaties in the foreign ministry.[2] He officially left his ambassadorial post on 2 July.[13] As director general, Jinangkung acted both as diplomats and legal advisors, ensuring treaties support foreign policy and legal standards.[14] Regarding the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (ZEE) in the North Natuna Sea, Jinangkung announced Indonesia's refusal to follow Vietnam's proposal, citing national interest losses, as Vietnam prefers a boundary aligned with the continental shelf, which could favor its territorial claims.[15]

In August 2024, Jinangkung was nominated by President Joko Widodo as ambassador to Russia and Belarus.[16] However, he was never summoned for a fit and proper test by the House of Representatives for the office.[17] After Joko Widodo was replaced by Prabowo Subianto, Jinangkung was nominated as ambassador to the Netherlands. After passing an assessment by House of Representative's first commission on 5 July 2025,[18] his nomination was approved three days later.[19] He was installed as ambassador on 8 October 2025.[20]

Personal life

Jinangkung is married to Bertha Lusiana. The couple has two children.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Mali, Abraham Runga (22 October 2021). "Saat Orangtua Jadi Inspirasi Hidup: Obrolan bersama Dubes RI untuk Vatikan, Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung" [When Parents Become Life Inspiration: A Conversation with the Indonesian Ambassador to the Vatican, Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung]. Katolikku (in Indonesian). Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "Mengenal Amrih Jinangkung, Figur Alumni Menginspirasi Fakultas Hukum UGM" [Getting to Know Amrih Jinangkung, an Inspiring Alumni Figure of UGM Faculty of Law]. Fakultas Hukum Universitas Gadjah Mada (in Indonesian). 9 May 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  3. ^ "Menlu RI Lantik 9 Pejabat Eselon II Kementerian Luar Negeri" [Foreign Minister of Indonesia Inaugurates 9 Echelon II Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs]. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (in Indonesian). 21 November 2016. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  4. ^ Kementerian Luar Negeri, Republik Indonesia (3 January 2017). "Menlu RI Lantik 50 Pejabat Eselon II Kemlu" [Foreign Minister of Indonesia Inaugurates 50 Echelon II Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs]. Kementerian Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. Archived from the original on 19 July 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  5. ^ a b Hariyadi, Mathias (12 May 2020). "Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung, Kandidat Dubes RI untuk Vatikan" [Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung, Candidate for Indonesian Ambassador to the Vatican]. SESAWI.NET (in Indonesian). Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  6. ^ Ghaliya, Ghina (12 May 2020). "Jokowi sends list of new ambassadorship candidates to House". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on 18 September 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  7. ^ Simanjuntak, Rico Afrido (16 June 2020). "Digelar Tertutup, Ini Jadwal Fit and Proper Test 31 Calon Dubes" [Held Behind Closed Doors, Here Is the Schedule for the Fit and Proper Test of 31 Ambassador Candidates]. SINDOnews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  8. ^ "President Jokowi installs 20 new Indonesian ambassadors". ANTARA News. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  9. ^ "Audiences". Holy See Press Office. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  10. ^ "Paus Fransiskus Menerima Surat Kepercayaan Duta Besar RI yang Baru untuk Takhta Suci" [Pope Francis Receives Letter of Credence from Indonesia’s New Ambassador to the Holy See]. Hidup Katolik (in Indonesian). 9 December 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  11. ^ "Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung Siap Bertugas sebagai Dirjen Hukum dan Perjanjian Internasional Kemenlu RI" [Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung Ready to Serve as Director General of Law and International Treaties at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs]. Berita Bernas (in Indonesian). 2 May 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  12. ^ Hariyadi, Mathias (8 October 2022). "Dubes Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung: Konsili Vatikan II, Reformasi Nyata Gereja Katolik" [Ambassador Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung: Vatican II Council, Real Reform of the Catholic Church]. SESAWI.NET (in Indonesian). Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  13. ^ Jumar Sudiyana (2 July 2022). "Amrih Jinangkung: Lega dan Mantap Tinggalkan Vatikan" [Amrih Jinangkung: Relieved and Resolute Leaving the Vatican]. Sonora.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  14. ^ Prasetyo, Aji (3 September 2022). "Wawancara Khusus dengan Dirjen HPI Kemlu, L. Amrih Jinangkung" [Exclusive Interview with Director General of International Law and Treaties, L. Amrih Jinangkung]. Hukumonline (in Indonesian). Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  15. ^ Munjin, Ahmad (28 November 2022). "Indonesia Rugi jika Ikuti Vietnam soal Sengketa Laut Natuna Utara" [Indonesia Would Lose if It Follows Vietnam on the North Natuna Sea Dispute]. Inilah.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  16. ^ Sarwindaningrum, Irene (17 September 2024). "DPR Mulai Uji Calon Duta Besar" [Parliament Begins Ambassadorial Candidate Evaluations]. Kompas.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  17. ^ Madina, Annisa Thahira (13 February 2025). "Nasib Samar Belasan Calon Dubes yang Diajukan Jokowi" [Uncertain Fate of Dozens of Ambassador Candidates Proposed by Jokowi]. Kumparan (in Indonesian). Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  18. ^ KumparanNEWS (5 July 2025). "Daftar 12 Calon Dubes yang Telah Fit and Proper Test Hari Ini" [List of 12 Ambassador Candidates Who Underwent Fit and Proper Test Today]. Kumparan (in Indonesian). Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  19. ^ Safitri, Kiki; Carina, Jessi (2025-07-09). "DPR Nyatakan 24 Calon Dubes Penuhi Syarat, Langsung Dikirim ke Prabowo". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 2025-07-10. Retrieved 2025-07-13.
  20. ^ Yanwardhana, Emir (8 October 2025). "Prabowo Segera Lantik 10 Dubes Baru, Ini Daftarnya!". CNBC Indonesia. Retrieved 8 October 2025.