Seoul Declaration sets 30-year Korea-Central Asia agenda on minerals, energy, AI

Korea and five Central Asian countries adopted the Seoul Declaration Wednesday, outlining a vision for cooperation over the next 30 years as they elevate their multilateral partnership to the leaders’ level.

Announced at the inaugural multilateral summit, the declaration institutionalizes a biennial leaders’ summit and sets out cooperation across four broad areas — partnership, peace, prosperity and people-to-people exchanges — to encompass supply chains, critical minerals, energy, trade and investment, emerging technologies and security.

The summit in Seoul brought together President Lee Jae Myung and the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, representing the latest step in upgrading a cooperation framework that began at the vice-ministerial level in 2007 and was elevated to the ministerial level in 2019.

Kazakhstan expressed its willingness to host the second summit in Astana in 2028, with the other participating countries agreeing to the proposal.

The declaration established a framework for more systematic economic cooperation, including a C5+1 Industrial Ministers’ Consultative Mechanism and industrial and supply chain cooperation.

On critical minerals, the six countries expressed interest in developing joint value-added production chains by combining Central Asia’s resources with Korea’s advanced technologies, while also strengthening cooperation in oil, gas, petrochemicals and energy infrastructure.

The declaration extends cooperation into artificial intelligence, digital transformation, science and technology, climate change and water resources.

The Central Asian leaders expressed support for Korea’s efforts to resume inter-Korean dialogue and pursue peaceful coexistence, improved inter-Korean relations and phased denuclearization.

New Silk Road

In his opening remarks at the summit, Lee focused on the broader significance of the relationship, calling on Korea and Central Asia to use their historical ties as a foundation for the next three decades of cooperation.

“Building on the foundation of cooperation accumulated over the past 30 years, we must now prepare together for the next 30 years,” he said.

The president underscored a need for the "Silk Road spirit," noting that the world is undergoing a major transformation in which the economy and security are increasingly intertwined, from supply chains and energy to markets and technology.

Lee emphasized the significance of developing relations with Central Asia not only country by country but also as a region.

He also invoked the historical ties between the two regions, noting that ethnic Koreans in Central Asia have served as a bridge between Korea and the region for decades.

Later Wednesday, the president shifted his focus to practical economic cooperation at the Korea-Central Asia Business Summit, proposing what he described as a “new Silk Road” linking Korea and the region.

He outlined three major directions for building it, beginning with diversifying trade and investment beyond traditional areas.

Lee noted that current trade is heavily concentrated on Korean exports of automobiles and auto parts and imports of Central Asian energy and raw materials.

“We now need to move beyond these items and expand the scope of trade into new industries, including consumer goods, biotechnology and digital sectors,” he said.

He also said Seoul would send trade delegations to the region, support the establishment of digital customs systems to reduce nontariff barriers and the introduction of “Korea Desks” in all five Central Asian countries to help companies resolve difficulties they encounter locally.

Another pillar centers on linking Central Asia’s mineral resources with Korea’s advanced manufacturing capabilities.

“As global supply chains are being reorganized, Central Asia is emerging as a treasure trove of critical minerals essential for the production of electric vehicles, batteries and semiconductors,” Lee noted.

He said combining the region’s lithium, uranium and other resources with Korea’s battery and semiconductor manufacturing capabilities could strengthen their position in global markets.

Lee called for cooperation across the entire critical-mineral value chain — from exploration and refining to high-value-added materials processing and finished-product production — rather than limiting ties to raw-material trade.

“If we walk together, the road from 1,500 years ago will reopen as a new Silk Road,” Lee said.