With strict new religious compliance rules set to take effect across Southeast Asia, Korea is taking decisive diplomatic steps to protect its booming cultural exports. Health and regulatory officials in Seoul signed a landmark agreement with Indonesia on Friday to streamline halal certification — clearing a critical path for Korean food and cosmetics brands entering the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation. Food and Drug Safety Minister Oh Yu-kyoung signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia’s Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH) during the fifth Halal 20 Summit in Depok, Indonesia, the ministry said. The agreement serves as a direct follow-up to a bilateral defense and economic summit held in March, where both nations pledged to expand mutual market access under a Special Strategic Partnership. The regulatory pact arrives at a pivotal moment for Korean exporters. Starting Oct. 18, Indonesia will enforce mandatory halal certification for all imported food, beverage and cosmetic products. Without official certification verifying that products comply wit