The International Institute for Central Asia (IICA) hosted a meeting with representatives of the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Expert Forum led by Secretary General Seong-Hoon Je.

Lee Ji-young, Head of the Central Asian Studies Department at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), and experts from the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) Park Jong-ho, Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) Hyun Seung-soo, and others attended the meeting.

During the conversation, the experts pointed out the interest of South Korean government circles in strengthening partnership with Central Asian countries in priority areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.

According to the head of the South Korean delegation Seong-Hoon Je, ‘even though we represent different Korean think tanks, we have united to promote relations with your region together’.

He emphasized the need to continue substantive talks to discuss and identify concrete and practical opportunities for cooperation between South Korea and Central Asian countries.

The parties also discussed organizing a Forum of South Korean and Central Asian experts to develop new proposals and recommendations for the Central Asia-Republic of Korea cooperation agenda. They agreed to increase cooperation between research organizations and think tanks in priority areas. 

The Korea – Central Asia Cooperation Expert Forum was established at the Centre for Euro-Asian Studies of Hankuk University of External Studies to explore cooperation issues between the Republic of Korea and Central Asia.

G.Khonnazarov, UzA