Indonesia's submarine choice and its relationship with South Korea

Would a Japanese submarine design have been a better choice for Indonesia than the South Korean design in an alternate timeline?

The South Korean deal is judged a good choice because it provided close to the desired specifications and numbers while building a regional relationship. A more proven Japanese design would still have political and practical complications.

The alternate Indonesian procurement route compares Japanese and South Korean submarine designs. The South Korean deal is judged favourably because it delivered ships close to Indonesia's desired specifications and in numbers it was happy to acquire. Political and practical considerations both affect that judgment. Buying the submarines also builds a relationship with another state in the region. Japanese designs are described as more proven, while their own complications for Indonesia remain relevant. The choice consequently depends on the procurement package and regional relationship as well as individual vessel performance.