The Republic of Korea is a reliable and time-tested partner of Central Asian countries.

Today marks 32 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea. During this period, the strategic partnership became stable. Effective political dialogue at various levels contributed significantly to this process.

At the meeting of Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Yoon Suk Yeol as part of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2023, the importance of forming a new economic agenda towards further strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries was emphasized.

Almost 1,000 joint ventures are operating in Uzbekistan, and the amount of investment in the country has exceeded $7 billion. The pace of mutual trade is steadily growing. The volume of trade turnover increased by 24 percent. Negotiations on concluding a free trade agreement are at an active stage. A framework program aimed at promoting trade and investment was signed. The fruitful partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is steadily expanding.

It is also worth noting Seoul’s significant contribution to the modernization of the economy not only of Uzbekistan, but also of all Central Asian countries.

According to experts, thanks to Korean investments, development has accelerated in the automotive, chemical, metallurgical, oil and gas industries, information and communications industries, and many others. With the support of KOICA, large-scale socially significant projects are being implemented in the region.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, trade turnover between Central Asian countries and South Korea has increased 600 times: the 1992 figure of $15 million reached $9 billion by the end of 2022. The country’s total investment in the region exceeded $15 billion.

Cultural and humanitarian ties are also actively developing. The most essential component in this process is the sizeable Korean diaspora living in Central Asian countries, amounting to over 300 thousand people.

Young people in the region follow Korean culture with great interest, from learning the language to listening to music and watching movies. Korean cultural and language centers play an essential role in this process.

Regular meetings of the Central Asia – Republic of Korea Cooperation Forum serve as an effective platform for discussing joint projects.

UzA