Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Minister Ilkhom Makhkamov of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan and his delegation discussed concrete implementation plans for aviation education and joint pilot training with President Heo Hee-young of the Korea Aerospace University (KAU).

The Initiatives discussed at the meeting included joint education with Tashkent State Transport University (TSTU), Private Pilot License (PPL) programs, and simulator training.

The Korea Aerospace University is set to expand its 40 years of flight training expertise to Central Asia.
The Republic of Korea and the Republic of Uzbekistan are moving to expand substantive cooperation in the fields of aviation education and pilot training.

A delegation led by Ilkhom Makhkamov, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Transport, visited Korea Aerospace University (KAU) on September 12 to discuss cooperative measures in aviation education and pilot training with President Heo Hee-young and other university officials.
This visit is significant as it serves as a reciprocal visit aimed at advancing the cooperative concepts discussed during President Heo’s trip to Uzbekistan last April into concrete implementation stages.

Cooperation Initiated in Tashkent, Concrete Plans Formulated in Seoul:
Previously, on April 29, President Heo met with Minister Makhkamov at the Uzbekistan Ministry of Transport headquarters and proposed a phased cooperation plan to develop Uzbekistan into a Central Asian hub for training aviation personnel.

At that time, both sides established shared goals, providing international-standard pilot training, training future flight instructors for Uzbekistan, and building a sustainable pilot training system. They also agreed to operate a joint working group to systematically drive these initiatives forward.

The recent visit to Korea Aerospace University was a follow-up step designed to translate those earlier discussions into actual educational programs and institutional cooperation. Minister Makhkamov and his delegation were welcomed by President Heo Hee-young, key faculty members, and Uzbek students currently enrolled at Korea Aerospace University (KAU). Both sides shared the current status of aviation education in their respective countries and discussed directions for future joint projects.
Notably, Uzbek students, who welcomed the delegation, represent the largest group among KAU’s international student body.

As of the fall semester of 2026, KAU has 467 international students; of these, 146 are from Uzbekistan, accounting for approximately 32% of the total. This figure demonstrates the solid foundation already established for personnel exchanges between the two nations in the fields of aviation and education.

From TSTU Joint Education to PPL and Simulator Training:
During the visit, the two sides exchanged views on various topics, including the status of international student education and the curriculum of the Division of International Studies at KAU, the linked education program for pilot trainees from Tashkent State Transport University (TSTU), and the pilot training system at the university’s flight training center.

A key agenda item was the development of a stable pipeline for training the pilots and aviation specialists needed for Uzbekistan’s rapidly growing aviation industry.

Specific discussions focused on expanding joint degree programs with Uzbek universities, including the "Flight Operation 1+2+1" joint pilot training program with TSTU.
They also discussed plans to implement PPL (Private Pilot License) training and simulator training programs utilizing the Jeongseok Flight Training Center.

Furthermore, the parties discussed establishing a systematic pilot training framework connecting the two countries through institutional and administrative cooperation--such as government-level support for flight training in Uzbekistan, and the recognition of flight hours and license conversion for training completed in Korea. If this cooperation materializes, it is expected to evolve into a new international aviation education model that bridges Korea Aerospace University’s specialized expertise in aviation training with Uzbekistan’s demand for aviation personnel.

Bringing Korea Aerospace University’s 40 years of pilot training expertise to Central Asia:
Korea Aerospace University plans to support the training of aviation professionals in Uzbekistan by leveraging the pilot training experience it has accumulated over nearly 40 years, along with its domestic and international flight training infrastructure.

The university’s Flight Training Center launched in 1986 as Korea’s first officially accredited flight training institution; it currently trains pilots at three domestic centers—Jeju, Jeongseok, and Uljin—as well as at the Sanford Flight Training Center in the United States.

President Heo Hee-young stated, "Uzbekistan is one of Korea Aerospace University’s most important international partners in education, and the potential for cooperation in the aviation sector between our two nations is growing." He added, "We will work to concretize this partnership so that the pilot training experience and infrastructure we have built can make a tangible contribution to developing Uzbekistan's aviation workforce."

Officials from the Uzbekistan Ministry of Transport also expressed keen interest in Korea Aerospace University’s pilot training capabilities and its existing collaboration with TSTU, showing a positive stance toward expanding bilateral cooperation to train aviation professionals.

Expectations for Expanding Korea-Uzbekistan Aviation Education Cooperation to Central Asia:
Minister Makhkamov’s visit to Korea Aerospace University is significant not merely as an academic exchange between universities, but as a step toward establishing a practical cooperative framework that links the aviation industries and professional workforce development of both Korea and Uzbekistan. In particular, combining the plan to develop Uzbekistan into a hub for training Central Asian aviation personnel with Korea Aerospace University’s international flight training capabilities raises expectations that the scope of cooperation could expand across the Central Asian region.

Korea Aerospace University is pursuing a plan to expand its flight training infrastructure in Jeju starting in 2027, aiming to develop it into a world-class flight training hub. Based on this initiative, the university plans to further expand joint pilot training and international aviation education cooperation with overseas institutions, including those in Uzbekistan.

If Korea and Uzbekistan establish a sustainable cooperation framework that encompasses not only general aviation education but also joint pilot training, qualification alignment, flight training, and the exchange of specialized personnel, it is expected to serve as a new model for both the development of the aviation industries in both nations and the cultivation of aviation talent in Central Asia.