Moon to visit three Central Asian countries from April 16

President Moon Jae-in speaks at the start of a nomination ceremony for his new Cabinet members at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. Yonhap

By Kim Yoo-chul

President Moon Jae-in will visit three Central Asian countries over eight days from April 16, Cheong Wa Dae said, Monday.

“President Moon's eight-day state visit to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan will start April 16. Among key issues to be discussed during the President's planned summits with the heads of the respective Central Asian countries are potential economic benefits from collaboration in Seoul's New Northern Economic Policy,” Cheong Wa Dae vice spokeswoman Ko Min-jung said in a briefing.

This is the first time President Moon will visit the former Soviet bloc countries since he took office in 2017, the presidential office said, adding his trip will start with a three-day state visit to Ashgabat, where a summit with Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, is planned.

Then, Moon will fly to Uzbekistan for a four-day trip and a summit with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, during which the South Korean leader will focus on “plans to further strengthen bilateral ties and expand their future-oriented cooperation,” according to Ko.

President Moon's three-nation tour will end in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan that was recently renamed Nur-Sultan. A summit with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will explore ways to further promote mutual cooperation between the countries.