Strong ROK-Uzbek ties highlighted

Uzbekistan Ambassador to Korea Vitali Fen bows to participants at a Korea-Uzbekistan seminar at the Lotte Hotel in central Seoul, Tuesday. The seminar was held to promote mutual relationship and to share experiences of the modernization process of the two countries. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Nam Hyun-woo

Lawmakers and experts from Korea and Uzbekistan shared their opinions on developing parliamentarianism in Uzbekistan and the relationship between the two countries at a seminar Tuesday.

The seminar, dubbed “Parliamentarianism in the Modernization of the Country and Tasks for the Further Development of Uzbekistan-Korea Relations,” was held at the Lotte Hotel in central Seoul.

The seminar marked the first of its kind since Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov visited Korea and met former President Roh Moo-hyun in August 2006. Panels and participants shared their views on cooperation between the two countries in fields ranging from parliamentary systems, socio-economics, and culture.

“Korea is one of the most critical strategic partners of the Republic of Uzbekistan and our country is strongly interested in Korea’s modernization process driven by active growth of a civil society. We want to understand Korea’s experience in securing its current status in global society,” said Uzbekistan Ambassador to Korea Vitali Fen.

He expected the seminar to serve as a chance to expand cooperation between Korea and Uzbekistan into various fields and further relations between Seoul’s National Assembly and Tashkent’s Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.

Rep. Lee Jae-oh from the ruling Saenuri Party and president of the Korea-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Friendship Association said “Uzbekistan is the biggest country in Central Asia in terms of both population and size, and some 300,000 Korean-Uzbekistanis live there. Thus, Uzbekistan has a leading role when it comes to Korea’s relations with the region.”