Yoon returns home from 3-nation Central Asia tour

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and first lady Kim Keon Hee disembark the presidential plane at Seoul Air Base, just south of Seoul, on June 16, upon returning from a weeklong trip to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk Yeol returned home Sunday from a weeklong trip to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan that focused on strengthening economic ties with the resource-rich nations.

Yoon paid state visits to all three countries and held summits with their leaders as part of his diplomatic push to secure critical minerals and energy supplies amid global supply chain uncertainties.

During the trip, he introduced the "K-Silk Road" initiative, centered on creating a new cooperation model by linking Korea's innovative capabilities with Central Asia's abundant resources and development potential.

Korea signed critical minerals supply chain partnerships with each country, while Korean companies finalized major infrastructure deals, including railway manufacturer Hyundai Rotem's $200 million contract to supply six high-speed trains to Uzbekistan Railways Corp. (Yonhap)