Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | President Lee Jae-myung of the Republic of Korea and President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan held a summit at the Presidential Office/Residence, Blue House, in Seoul on the September 16th and agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a "comprehensive partnership" for the first time since establishing diplomatic ties in 1992.

The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation—previously centered on development assistance—to include trade and investment, railway and transport infrastructure, critical minerals, AI and digital transformation, climate change response, and people-to-people exchanges.

This was the first in-person summit between the two leaders since their telephone conversation last August. It marked President Rahmon’s first visit to South Korea in 11 years; he was in the country to attend the inaugural Korea-Central Asia Summit.

The two leaders acknowledged the significance of establishing this "comprehensive partnership," building upon the friendly cooperation cultivated over the past 34 years, and agreed to use it as a new starting point for bilateral cooperation.

President Lee highlighted Tajikistan’s growth potential—including its strategic location connecting Central and Southwest Asia, abundant mineral resources, and young population—and expressed South Korea's commitment to cooperating on the country's economic development, including industrial advancement.

President Rahmon highlighted "accelerated industrialization and job creation" as key national development goals for Tajikistan and expressed hope for expanded mutually beneficial cooperation that leverages South Korea’s experience in economic and industrial development alongside its advanced technological capabilities.

Railway and transport infrastructure emerged as a core area of cooperation for this summit. As a landlocked, mountainous nation, Tajikistan prioritizes the expansion of its railway and transport networks to boost domestic and international connectivity and drive economic growth. Based on the newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on railway cooperation, the two countries agreed to share railway policies, technologies, and project experiences, as well as collaborate on training specialized personnel.

In particular, the two sides plan to evolve their cooperation—previously focused on individual projects—into a comprehensive, ongoing system covering policy, institutions, technology, workforce development, and corporate partnerships, while pursuing initiatives such as urban rail development, the modernization of existing railway lines, and the strengthening of human and technical capabilities.

Critical minerals also emerged as a new strategic area for cooperation. The two leaders agreed to explore mutually beneficial ways to cooperate on critical mineral supply chains by combining South Korea’s expertise in mineral exploration and development with Tajikistan’s abundant mineral resources, such as antimony.

This initiative aims to create a cooperation model that generates tangible economic benefits for both nations by pairing South Korea’s technological prowess with Tajikistan’s competitive advantage in natural resources.

Support systems to boost trade and investment between companies from both countries will also be strengthened. The leaders agreed to expand cooperation between KOTRA and the Tajikistan Export Agency to facilitate business exchanges and the identification of new projects. Additionally, they decided to establish a "Korea Desk"—a dedicated communication channel—to address the challenges faced by South Korean companies operating in Tajikistan. President Lee requested the Tajik government's continued attention and cooperation to ensure that Korean companies can operate stably in Tajikistan.

Expanding into Future Growth Engines: AI, Digital Technology, and Smart Grids
Bilateral cooperation is expanding beyond traditional development assistance and infrastructure to include future industries such as AI, digital transformation, and smart grids.

The cooperation documents signed during this visit include areas related to future growth engines, such as industry, innovation, and smart grids. The two nations plan to support Tajikistan’s industrial modernization and sustainable development—and identify new business opportunities—through technological cooperation.
They also agreed to strengthen cooperation in forest restoration, education, and occupational safety and health, thereby broadening the scope of collaboration from mere economic growth to improving the quality of life for their citizens.

Cooperation in the institutional and administrative sectors—which underpin economic collaboration—will also be significantly expanded. The two countries agreed to share Korea’s experience in areas such as customs, intellectual property, civil service personnel management and capacity building, anti-corruption, and anti-money laundering. Notably, the summit led to the signing of the first-ever MOU on personnel administration between the two nations.

In the realm of public security, the two countries agreed to establish a standing cooperation channel to respond more effectively to transnational crimes.

Discussion on Korean Peninsula Issues on which President Rahmon expresses support for peaceful resolution:
The two leaders exchanged views on issues concerning the Korean Peninsula and the international situation. President Rahmon acknowledged the importance of Korean Peninsula issues and expressed his support for a resolution through peaceful means, such as dialogue. This represents the official position stated by Tajikistan during the summit.

On the occasion of this summit, relevant ministries and agencies from both countries signed a total of 17 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs). The scope of cooperation is extensive, covering areas such as railways and transportation, industry and innovation, and trade, as well as customs and intellectual property, personnel administration and anti-corruption, public security and anti-money laundering, smart grids, forest restoration, education, and occupational safety and health.

This summit served as an opportunity to expand the friendly relations built between South Korea and Tajikistan over the past 34 years—previously centered on development cooperation—into a comprehensive partnership encompassing the economy, industry, supply chains, advanced technology, and infrastructure. Moving forward, the key will be the follow-up implementation of the agreements reached by the leaders—such as those regarding railways, critical minerals, and AI/digital technology—by translating them into concrete projects and business collaborations.

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