Uzbekistan and Korea sign key agreements

Seoul hosted a meeting on “Future cooperation between Korea and Central Asia for growth and innovation”.

The Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Laziz Kudratov, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources of the Republic of Korea Kim Jung-kwan, as well as heads of relevant departments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan attended the event.

The ministerial meeting is designed to enrich political dialogue with a specific agenda focused on industry, trade, and technology, and to strengthen ties between enterprises in the Central Asian region and the Korean business community.

By the end of 2025, Uzbekistan’s trade turnover with the Central Asian countries and the Republic of Korea increased by almost 10 percent to $10 billion. In January-July this year, the figure was $6.5 billion, up 25 percent. More than 3,000 enterprises in Uzbekistan have participation from Korean capital and countries in the region. This supports organizing production based on mutual supplies, localization, and the formation of regional value chains.

The Uzbek side suggested next steps including removing technical barriers, mutually recognizing certificates and test results, creating an industrial cooperation program with specific high-tech projects, establishing a shared digital platform for industrial initiatives, and forming a permanent expert group at the deputy minister level.

Following the meeting, the sides signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on industry and supply chains. A joint statement was adopted at the First Meeting of the Industry Ministers of the Republic of Korea – Central Asia.

Laziz Kudratov and Kim Jung-kwan conducted discussions, resulting in agreements to establish a shared platform for the exploration and development of key minerals, along with initiatives to boost export potential and enhance trade cooperation.

Orash Akaboyev, UzA