Uzbekistan celebrates 30th anniversary of independence

Vitaliy Fen, ambassador of Uzbekistan to Korea, speaks during a ceremony commemorating the country's 30th anniversary of independence and the 29th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Uzbekistan at Lotte Hotel Seoul, Nov. 15. Courtesy of the Uzbek Embassy to Korea

By Kwon Mee-yoo

The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul held a ceremony commemorating the country's 30th anniversary of independence and the 29th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Uzbekistan, Nov. 15.

Uzbek Ambassador to Seoul Vitaliy Fen emphasized how the relations between the two countries have been growing in various areas, despite the pandemic, during his opening speech.

"Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries, 17 meetings have been held at the level of heads of state. As the result of mutually beneficial cooperation in recent years, Uzbekistan-Korea relations have been upgraded to the level of a Special Strategic Partnership," the ambassador said.

Ambassador Fen noted that a portfolio of new investment projects worth more than $3 billion has been prepared, with the participation of leading Korean companies and banks, in addition to the current approximately 900 Korean enterprises operating in Uzbekistan.

After expressing gratitude to Korea for providing humanitarian assistance to combat COVID-19, the ambassador also mentioned the World Taekwondo Association's continued support for Uzbekistan, which resulted in the gold medal of the Uzbek national team in taekwondo at the Tokyo Olympics.

"The close mentality of the peoples of the two countries and the large Korean diaspora in Uzbekistan play an important role in the development of friendly relations between our countries. The opening of the House of Korean Culture and Arts in Tashkent is another vivid piece of evidence of the strong friendship between our peoples and the high level of relations between our countries,” he said.

Park Chong-soo, the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Northern Economic Cooperation, delivered a congratulatory speech.

"I first set foot in Uzbekistan in 1991, more than 30 years ago. I visited the country many times since its independence. Not just Tashkent, but other famous tourist destinations, like Samarkand and Bukhara. With every visit, I was pleasantly surprised to see how fast the country was developing," Park said.

"I wholeheartedly welcome the upcoming visit of President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan in mid-December this year. I am more than confident that his state visit will provide strong momentum for accelerating economic cooperation between our two countries."