ROUNDTABLE Diplomats from Central Asia hope for further cooperation with Korea
Participants to The Korea Times' roundtable on "Korea-Central Asia Partnership" discuss new areas for cooperation between Korea and Central Asia at the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry headquarters in central Seoul, June 23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Uzbekistan
Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Korea Vitaliy Fen speaks during The Korea Times' roundtable on "Korea-Central Asia Partnership" at the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry headquarters in central Seoul, June 23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Economic cooperation is a priority of Uzbek-Korean relations. We consider interaction in the field of investment and innovation as an important mechanism for accelerating the modernization and diversification of our national economy.
At the beginning of June of this year, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea Pak Jin visited Uzbekistan and held a number of meetings and negotiations.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received the delegation of the Republic of Korea and during the meeting topical issues on further strengthening the Uzbek-South Korean relations of friendship and a special strategic partnership, primarily in the trade, economic, investment, financial and technical fields, were discussed.
The three key areas of long-term cooperation between our countries were identified as: "green" development, digitalization and strengthening the social protection system.
We consider the forum "Korea-Central Asia Partnership" an important platform for multilateral interaction. Over the past years, Korea has been a reliable partner for the stable and sustainable economic development of the countries of Central Asia. We thank the Korean side for supporting the integration processes currently taking place in Central Asia.
The most important task for Uzbekistan remains the fight against climate change, including minimizing the consequences of the Aral Sea disaster.
We highly appreciate the importance of the project implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute together with KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) to improve the ecosystem in the Aral Sea region.
Kazakhstan
Counselor at the Embassy of Kazakhstan to Korea Timur Jaikov speaks during The Korea Times' roundtable on "Korea-Central Asia Partnership" at the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry headquarters in central Seoul, June 23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited Seoul in August 2021. During that visit our bilateral relations were upgraded to an Expanded Strategic Partnership. Kazakhstan is willing to further foster strategic partnerships with the Republic of Korea in all areas of mutual interest.
We attach special significance to our economic cooperation. Bilateral trade turnover and mutual investments show steady growth dynamics. Korea is the second most important trading partner of Kazakhstan in Asia and it is one of the top 10 investors in Kazakhstan.
In order to further strengthen and develop our economic cooperation we propose to focus on infrastructure, energy, mining and metallurgy, pharmacy, car manufacturing, agriculture, etc.
We have many success stories of cooperation in the field of infrastructure. The construction of Big Almaty Ring Road (BAKAD) was finished this month. SK E&C and Korea Expressway participated in this project.
In the field of energy currently, we actively cooperate with Doosan Enerbility. The project for the construction of a gas power plant in the Turkistan region with this company will be one of the major projects with the participation of Korean companies.
We have great potential for cooperation in the field of geology and rare metals. Currently, the government of Kazakhstan and the Korea Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources are considering the exploration of lithium deposits in Kazakhstan.
We are ready to continue to cooperate in all areas and taking this opportunity we invite Korean businesses to invest more actively in Kazakhstan.
Kyrgyzstan
Attache at the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic to Korea Sanzhar Valibekov speaks during The Korea Times' roundtable on "Korea-Central Asia Partnership" at the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry headquarters in central Seoul, June 23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
The relations between Kyrgyzstan and Korea are actively developing. Last year, our Foreign Minister Zheenbek Kulubaev visited Korea and this year, the Speaker of the Parliament Nurlanbek Shakiev also visited Korea with an official delegation.
The Embassy of Kyrgyzstan in Korea is working to facilitate more high-level visits, including President Sadyr Japarov, who is highly supportive of Korea.
One of the biggest achievements in our relations is the opening of direct flights between Bishkek and Seoul. This started about two weeks ago, on June 11. We strongly believe that establishing this direct route will help our relations in trade, economy, investment and collaboration to develop. In particular, I want to say that my ambassador was on the first flight by T'way Air and also a lot of Korean businessmen were on the same flight to Bishkek.
We also want to say that Kyrgyzstan is interested in Korean companies and hopes for more Korean companies to be active in Kyrgyzstan. In a recent case, we have our full-pledged cooperation with KT Corporation and recently signed an agreement of creating a joint company with KT and KT's subsidiaries BC Card and Smartro. Korean financial organization BNK Capital also opened a representative office in Bishkek in May 2023.
I fully agree with my colleagues from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan strongly believes that investments from Korean companies in our countries will serve to strengthen our collaborations as well as the development of our regions.
Turkmenistan
Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Korea Begench Durdyyev / Courtesy of Embassy of Turkmenistan
A special place in the development of bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea is assigned to the development of contacts at the highest level, including the exchanges of the visits of the Heads of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea, as well as to the inter-parliamentary cooperation.
One of the clear examples is the official visit of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Korea in November 2022. Berdimuhamedov held bilateral meetings with Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol and Speaker of National Assembly Kim Jin-pyo.
Economic relations between the two countries are currently characterized by a certain stability and new qualitative content. Among the priority areas of cooperation between the two countries are the fuel and energy sector, agriculture, trade and economic sphere, construction, textile industry, transport and communications, and other industries. In this regard, we welcome the participation of Korean partners in the development of the Turkmen economy and intend to continue expanding our cooperation.
The establishment of direct cargo flights on April 26 between Ashgabat International Airport and Incheon International Airport, operated by Turkmenistan Airlines' newly purchased A330-200 cargo planes, is another vivid example of great achievements in the history of Turkmen-Korean bilateral relations. Due to this new international air cargo service, the bilateral trade and economic cooperation between the countries will be greatly expanded.
With regard to the cooperation between Turkmenistan and Korea it has to be mentioned that in the second half of this year Turkmenistan will host the 16th Central Asia-Korea Cooperation Forum. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the five Central Asian countries and Korea will gather in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, to discuss the ways of further expansion of multilateral relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between the five Central Asian countries and Korea.
Unable to attend the roundtable, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Korea Begench Durdyyev provided this written contribution to The Korea Times.