Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | From a digital agenda to practical cooperation Organization of Turkic States currently counts Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkiye and Uzbekistan among its full members, while Turkmenistan participates in observer status. The organization holds annual summits of heads of state, establishing a mechanism for reviewing results achieved and defining directions for future cooperation. The informal OTS summit held in Turkistan on May 15th, 2026 likewise underscored the growing importance of digital technologies within this process. At a meeting devoted to “Art
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Today, cooperation agenda between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan is gradually taking on a regional dimension. Tashkent and Baku are increasingly viewed not merely as two independent technology hubs, but as potential links connecting the innovation ecosystems of Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Additional institutional groundwork for long-term cooperation was laid by the outcomes of the Uzbek-Azerbaijani summit in August 2026, during which a Treaty on Eternal Friendship between the two states was signed. From Interagency Dialogue to Practical Cooperation One of t
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | SEOUL — A team of 33 servicemen from the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan took first place among 14 competing nations at the 4th K-International Scientific Combat Competition (K-ICTC), held in South Korea, in a performance that included three new tournament records, organizers announced on September 18. The competition, organized by the Korean military command with the participation of leading special forces units from across the region, is widely regarded as one of the most demanding assessments of combat readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. Its program consisted o
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | The Republic of Korea and the Republic of Uzbekistan are coming closer and closer to each other thanls to the special interest shared by President Lee Jae-Myung of the Republic of Korea and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the promotion of relations, cooperation and friendship between the two countries. On September 14 this year, President Lee Jae-myung held a summit meeting with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan at the Presidential Mansion of Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House) in Seoul. President Mirziyoyev was visiting Seoul in a
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | The Republic of Korea and the Republic of Uzbekistan exchanged 13 agreements and MOUs to expand the scope of cooperation to include health, environment, tourism, and education. On September 14 this year, President Lee Jae-myung held a summit meeting with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan at the Office of the President (Blue House) in Seoul, who was visiting South Korea on a state visit. The two leaders discussed future-oriented cooperation measures to elevate the two nations' "Special Strategic Partnership" to the next higher level. This summit took pl
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 | Uzbekistan is becoming an increasingly sought-after destination for international travel. From January to July 2026, the country welcomed around 7.75 million foreign tourists - up 22.6 percent year-on-year. Over the same period, tourism service exports reached roughly $3.9 billion. Against this backdrop, the Republic of Korea remains one of the leading long-haul markets for Uzbekistan's tourism industry. Interest among Korean travelers in Uzbekistan continues to grow. In January–July 2026, Korea ranked third among long-haul markets by number of tourists visitin
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea has been developing consistently in recent years, acquiring new substance in such priority areas as the economy, investment, advanced technologies, digitalization, and public financial management. Relations aimed at further expanding practical cooperation between the two countries, studying advanced experience, and introducing modern technologies are becoming particularly important. Within the framework of the Central Asia-Republic of Korea Cooperation Forum, particular attention is being
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | The Republic of Uzbekistan hosted an international media forum to introduce the history and scientific and cultural heritage of Islamic civilization to the world through modern media and digital technology. The Tashkent International Media Forum, themed ‘Islamic Civilization: A New Perspective – New Discoveries,’ was held in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, from August 24 to 25 this year. Some 300 journalists, media experts, researchers, producers, publishers, and representatives from the culture and creative industries from about 50 countries around the wo
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | The Korea Aerospace University ‘2026 Summer Overseas Volunteer Corps’ has safely completed its entire schedule of educational volunteering and cultural exchange activities in Uzbekistan. From July 21 to 31, the volunteer corps visited Tashkent Transport University (TSTU) and Bukhara University of Innovation and Medical Education (BIMU) for 10 nights and 11 days to operate education programs on aviation, drones, artificial intelligence (AI), and Korean culture. The volunteer corps consisted of a total of 15 members, including 13 students, Dean of Student Affairs
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Recently, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received a personal letter from U.S. President Donald Trump. Of considerable political and diplomatic significance, the letter highly commends President Mirziyoyev’s active and constructive participation in the inaugural meeting of the Peace Council in Washington. It also recognizes the far-reaching reforms being implemented in New Uzbekistan under his leadership and the tangible results they have produced, while extending an invitation to the next meeting of the Peace Council and to the forth
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | At the border checkpoint, the line moves slowly forward. A border guard opens a passport, glances through its pages for a second, and presses down a fresh stamp. The traveler continues on their way undisturbed. At first glance, this is an ordinary, everyday procedure. Yet behind those few seconds lie years of intergovernmental negotiations, complex agreements, mutual trust and balanced diplomacy. On the eve of the 35th Anniversary of Independence, looking back at the path Uzbekistan has traversed, one can say with confidence that one of its most critical achiev
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | South Korea's Government Representative for Overseas Citizen Protection and Consular Affairs, Lim Sang-woo, held the fourth Korea-Uzbekistan Consular Consultation with Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister Abdullaev Olimjon in Tashkent on the morning of 3 August, marking the first such meeting between the two countries in roughly 12 years. The talks covered a broad range of consular issues, including improving conditions for the entry, exit and residence of Korean nationals in Uzbekistan, and the protection of Korean citizens residing in the country. Previous rounds of
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Cultural cooperation between Uzbekistan and the United States has expanded steadily over the past decade, becoming an increasingly significant dimension of bilateral relations alongside economic and political ties, according to Uzbek officials and cultural institutions. Uzbekistan's president has designated cultural diplomacy as one of the country's key foreign policy instruments, a shift that has broadened Tashkent's engagement with international partners, including the United States, in areas ranging from music and education to heritage preservation. Musical
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | The upcoming state visit of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Kyrgyzstan on 30-31 July is set to mark a new stage in bilateral relations that have shifted markedly in recent years, moving from long-standing border disputes to what officials describe as a comprehensive strategic partnership. Only a few years ago, much of the bilateral agenda between the two Central Asian neighbors centered on unresolved border demarcation, checkpoint operations and efforts to rebuild mutual trust. Sustained political dialogue has since allowed both sides to resolve outstandi