Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | On September 14, President Lee Jae-myung of the Republic of Korea held a summit meeting with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of the Republic of Uzbekistan at the Presidential Office-Mansion of Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House) in Seoul. The Uzbek President visited Korea on an official state visit to discuss future-oriented cooperation measures aimed at elevating the "Special Strategic Partnership" of the two countries to the next higher level.

This summit meeting took place during President Mirziyoyev’s state visit to Korea, which was arranged in conjunction with the launching of the Korea-Central Asia Summit.

The two leaders reviewed the development of bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations and agreed to expand cooperation into areas such as transportation and logistics infrastructure, the defense industry, critical minerals, artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, the environment, tourism, and education.
President Lee noted that the two countries have cooperated closely across various sectors and steadily broadened the horizons of their relationship since establishing the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan assessed the relationship between Korea and Uzbekistan as the closest and most exemplary partnership in Central Asia, and expressed his commitment to further strengthening the momentum of this cooperation.

Additionally, the Uzbek side reaffirmed its unwavering support for South Korea’s policy regarding the Korean Peninsula.

Expanding Cooperation in future-oriented industries, including transport, infrastructure, defense, critical minerals and AI:

Building on the successful past collaboration in transport and logistics infrastructure--such as high-speed rail projects--the two leaders agreed to further expand cooperation in this sector.

In particular, leveraging achievements such as securing contracts for the development and operation of the new Tashkent Airport and Urgench Airport, the two governments agreed to cooperate closely to ensure that competitive Korean companies actively participate in Uzbekistan’s major infrastructure projects.
Regarding the defense sector, the two leaders agreed on plans to generate new cooperative outcome and continuously broaden the scope of collaboration, grounded in the high level of mutual trust established between the nations.

A new institutional framework to underpin economic cooperation has also been established.
Coinciding with this summit, a "Korea Desk"--a dedicated unit within the Uzbek government for Korean companies--will be officially opened, and the "Korea-Uzbekistan Business Council," the first bilateral private-sector business platform between the two countries, will be launched.

The two leaders also expressed their expectation that these bodies would serve as a vital foundation for supporting stable local investment and market entry for Korean companies, while facilitating expanded, tangible economic cooperation through public-private partnerships.

In the realm of future industries, critical minerals and AI/digital transformation have emerged as key pillars of cooperation.

The two nations agreed to strengthen supply chain collaboration across the entire lifecycle--from exploration and development to processing--of critical minerals, utilizing the "Korea-Uzbekistan Rare Metals Center" as a hub.

In the AI sector, Korea and Uzbekistan will significantly expand cooperation for AI-driven transformation and innovation in manufacturing, based on the "MOU on AI Transformation (AX) in Manufacturing."

Strengthening cooperation directly impacting citizens’ livelihood (health, environment, etc.), where the two partners grow together:

The two leaders agreed to achieve tangible results not only in the economic and industrial sectors but also in areas directly affecting the daily lives of their citizens, such as health and the environment. The two nations are strengthening the foundation for cooperation in the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors through initiatives such as collaborating on the establishment of a healthcare cluster and signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on regulatory cooperation for medical products.

These efforts aim to support the advancement of Uzbekistan’s healthcare system while simultaneously expanding the institutional framework for South Korean medical and bio-industry companies to enter the local market.

In the environmental sector, the two sides agreed to continue cooperation on forestry and environmental issues to address major challenges facing Uzbekistan, such as the desertification of the Aral Sea and water shortages.

Regarding climate change response, they agreed to actively identify promising projects--including renewable energy, energy efficiency, and landfill gas power generation--and to advance cooperation on international greenhouse gas reduction initiatives.
This cooperation is significant as it expands the bilateral relationship beyond the traditional focus on infrastructure and trade into high-tech industries and areas that directly benefit the people.

Concrete Agreements Spanning Tourism, Education, and History of Koryo-saram (ethnic Koreans):
The two leaders also agreed to further strengthen socio-cultural ties by revitalizing exchanges between local cities and fostering people-to-people connections.
President Lee welcomed the fact that the number of mutual visitors between the two countries reached a record high of 150,000 last year. Through an MOU on tourism cooperation, the two nations plan to pursue institutional cooperation to facilitate travel and further boost tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
In the education sector, they signed an MOU on cooperation in early childhood and general education, aiming to expand exchanges among future generations and strengthen collaboration in Korean language education.

Notably, the two leaders acknowledged the vital role the Koryo-saram (ethnic Koreans in Uzbekistan) community has played over the years as a precious bridge connecting the two nations.
The two countries agreed to successfully complete the "Koryo-saram History Museum Project"--a joint initiative marking the 90th anniversary of the ethnic Koreans' settlement in Central Asia next year--thereby passing on the shared heritage of Koryo-saram history and culture to future generations.

Following the summit, the two leaders attended a signing ceremony for agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) designed to underpin the substantive development of bilateral relations; a total of 13 such documents were exchanged.

The exchanged documents outline plans to expand the scope of cooperation between South Korea and Uzbekistan--previously centered on transportation and infrastructure--to include high-tech industries and sectors that directly benefit the public, while translating the leaders' agreements into concrete projects and institutional frameworks.

This summit is expected to elevate the "Special Strategic Partnership" between Korea and Uzbekistan to a comprehensive cooperative relationship that encompasses not only infrastructure and trade but also such areas that are vital to future growth and the well-being of their citizens, such as critical minerals, AI, defense, healthcare, the environment, tourism, and education.
 

By Publisher-Chairman Lee Jon-Young, Special Feature Editor Andy Hyun