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 lau
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 Republi
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | President of Uzbekistan announced seven national programs covering education, healthcare, economy, environment, rule of law, mahallas (neighborhoods) and foreign policy. The plans include school preparation for all six-year-olds, vocational training for 1 million young people and more. Seven national programs will be implemented in Uzbekistan in the coming years, covering education, healthcare, the economy, the environment, the rule of law, mahalla (neighborhood) development and foreign policy. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the plans on 28 August durin
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae-yeon | SEOUL-N Seoul Tower, one of the most iconic landmarks in the South Korean capital, was illuminated in the national colors of Uzbekistan on Sunday, creating a striking symbol of friendship between the Republic of Korea and Uzbekistan. The special lighting display coincided with the state visit of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of the Republic of Uzbekistan, who arrived in Korea on September 13. Blue, white and green -the principal colors of the Uzbek national flag -illuminated the tower, accompanied by symbolic elements reminiscent of the crescent and stars featur
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Three decades of dialogue between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea have built a strong foundation of trust, supported by cooperation ranging from major industrial facilities and modern healthcare to education programs and digital government. Today, this partnership is moving to the next level. The Central Asia–Republic of Korea format offers an opportunity to combine bilateral achievements with the scale of the five countries’ collective market, moving from individual projects toward integrated technology value chains, joint raw material processing, and wor
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Uzbek-Korean relations are entering a new stage of development. While trade, investment and equipment supplies previously formed the foundation of bilateral ties, the emphasis is now shifting towards deeper industrial and technological cooperation. The development of joint production and technology chains, the localisation of high-tech manufacturing, the advanced processing of critical mineral resources, and human capital development are emerging as key areas of bilateral cooperation. This trajectory is aligned with the long-term priorities of both countries. T
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | The President of Uzbekistan will visit the Republic of Korea (South) in a State Visit starting on September 13. He is the first among the leaders of the five Central Asian nations—who are gathering for the "1st Korea-Central Asia Summit" in Seoul on September16th—to arrive in the country. This visit is significant as it marks the beginning of a historic diplomatic schedule aimed at deepening bilateral relations between Korea and Uzbekistan while elevating the cooperation framework between Korea and Central Asia to the summit level. In particular, as Uzbekistan
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Uzbekistan's private sector is navigating a pivotal transition from the adoption of basic digital tools toward deeper technological modernisation, according to a large-scale survey of more than 5,000 entrepreneurs conducted jointly by the Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI). The study, which covered enterprises of varying sizes and experience levels across all regions of the country, assessed the current business environment, evaluated the effectiveness of entrepreneurship support measures, and develope
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to France, marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, served as a turning point to elevate the bilateral relationship to a level of "future-oriented strategic cooperation." This partnership now encompasses security, the economy, cutting-edge technology, nuclear energy, culture, and exchanges between future generations. Notably, the completion of reciprocal state visits by the two leaders within just five months--following French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Korea last April-
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | On September 9 (local time), President Lee Jae-myung met with Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Marking the 30th anniversary of Korea’s accession to the OECD, they reviewed the achievements of their cooperation over the past three decades and discussed future collaborative measures regarding inclusive growth, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital transformation. During the meeting, the two sides agreed that, as the global economy faces complex challenges—such as demographic shifts, low g
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | In an international system where states increasingly struggle to find common ground, Central Asia has emerged as one of the few regions around which a broad consensus has been built. An important political development took place in May of this year: the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution “Strengthening regional and international cooperation to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development in the Central Asian region”. The initiative was put forward by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev during the General Debate of th
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei addressed the possibility of South Korean military deployment to the Strait of Hormuz during a press conference on 7 September, according to a media brief released by the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Seoul on 8 September. Responding to a question on the matter, Baghaei said Iran's position was clear, noting that Tehran has maintained good relations with Seoul and values that relationship. At the same time, he said, both South Korea and other countries understand that participation in what he des
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | It is with great pleasure that I warmly welcome the state visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Republic of Korea. To commemorate this significant occasion, Diplomacy Journal is honored to publish this “Special Edition Commemorating the State Visit of the President of Uzbekistan to the Republic of Korea.” Since the establishment of diplomatic relations more than three decades ago, the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Uzbekistan have developed a special relationship of friendship and cooperation founded on mutual respect and trust. Bey
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | No policy exists in a vacuum. A measure designed to pressure one country can, over time, alter the calculations of many others. Companies look for new ways to trade. Banks develop new approaches to managing risk. Governments seek to reduce their dependence on financial networks and supply chains that can become instruments of political pressure. This raises a broader question: when sanctions remain in place for years, do they continue to function simply as a tool of pressure, or do they begin to reshape the economic environment itself? Iran offers one of the cl
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Ambassador Noel Emmanuel Kaganda of the United Republic of Tanzania in Seoul and the Tanzanian delegation visited the Korea Aerospace University (JAU) on September 2 to discuss ways to expand cooperation in education, research and talent development in the fields of aerospace, artificial intelligence (AI), and science and technology. The meeting was attended by Korea Aerospace University President Heeyoung Hur, the Director of External Affairs, and Distinguished Professor Lee Jin-sang. The two sides agreed to pursue substantive cooperation projects encompassing