South Korea and 5 Central Asian international locations — all former Soviet republics — are gearing up for his or her first-ever summit, aiming to forge a synergistic partnership that leverages shared strengths and fosters regional peace amid escalating tensions fueled by illicit army cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
South Korea’s Overseas Minister Cho Tae-yul convened the seventeenth Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Discussion board in Seoul on Monday, bringing collectively international ministers, vice international ministers, and chief delegates from 5 Central Asian international locations: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Cho highlighted that this discussion board would supply a significant platform for South Korea and the 5 Central Asian international locations to refine key tasks and flesh out agenda matters for the inaugural Korea-Central Asia Summit set to happen subsequent yr in South Korea.
This yr’s discussion board, held yearly since 2007, marked the primary gathering for the reason that Yoon Suk Yeol administration launched its “Okay-Silk Highway” initiative in June — South Korea’s first complete diplomatic technique aimed particularly at strengthening ties with Central Asia.
“We goal to raise the mutually useful partnership between Korea and Central Asia to the next stage,” Cho advised contributors. “To this finish, we plan to host the inaugural Korea-Central Asia Summit in Korea subsequent yr, marking step one within the Okay-Silk Highway cooperation initiative. On this sense, this discussion board holds higher significance than ever earlier than.”
South Korea and the 5 Central Asian international locations have recognized provide chains, surroundings and local weather change; digitalization, and tourism as key themes for this yr’s discussion board. Cho described these as “high-demand areas for collaboration” that may help the efficient implementation of the Okay-Silk Highway Initiative.
“On this geopolitical and geoeconomic surroundings, if South Korea, a technological powerhouse, and Central Asia, wealthy in pure assets, strengthen provide chain cooperation in power assets and varied minerals, it can create a mutually useful win-win scenario,” Cho mentioned.
In his speech, Cho voiced sturdy opposition to the illicit army cooperation between North Korea and Russia, urging help from former Soviet international locations for the Yoon administration’s strategy to reaching North Korea’s denuclearization via dialogue and diplomacy.
“North Korea is even offering weapons and troops to Russia. The illegal army cooperation between North Korea and Russia is prolonging the struggling of harmless Ukrainians and poses a severe safety menace not solely to South Korea but additionally to the worldwide group,” Cho mentioned.
“I hope that efforts for reconciliation and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula and in Central Asia will bear the fruit of peace and shared prosperity throughout the Eurasian continent, with all of us working collectively to realize this aim.”
Ex-Soviet republics reply
Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Overseas Minister, Murat Nurtleu, affirmed the nation’s “agency help for the widespread norms outlined by the UN Constitution and worldwide legislation” and its name for “respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all international locations” throughout his Russian-language speech, translated into Korean.
“Moreover, Kazakhstan urges that immediately’s urgent worldwide points — such because the battle in Ukraine, tensions within the Center East, and North Korea’s nuclear program — be resolved solely via diplomatic means and peaceable negotiations,” Nurtleu mentioned, following Cho’s speech.
Nurtleu emphasised {that a} multifaceted partnership with South Korea, masking areas reminiscent of power and infrastructure, stays certainly one of Kazakhstan’s high international coverage priorities.
Nurtleu pledged to “comprehensively strengthen the strategic partnership” between Astana and Seoul, with a selected concentrate on collaboration throughout the Okay-Silk Highway initiative framework.
Overseas Minister of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov mentioned, “The choice to raise the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Discussion board to a summit stage and to carry the inaugural Korea-Central Asia Summit in Seoul in 2025 is a robust testomony to our dedication to advancing a brand new section of partnership for shared prosperity.”
“I wish to emphasize that combining the dynamic potential of Central Asia with Korea’s strengths can create highly effective synergies for mutual financial development. Our cooperation provides a significant alternative to unlock market potential, increase funding and consumption, and create new jobs.”
Saidov additionally expressed Uzbekstan’s endorsement of the Yoon administration’s Audacious Initiative and different efforts for peace and safety on the Korean Peninsula.
Kyrgyz First Deputy Overseas Minister Asein Isaev additionally mentioned the nation’s key international coverage precedence is nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
“Because the depository state of the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, we strongly help efforts to advertise peace free from nuclear threats and endorse all initiatives towards this aim,” Isaev mentioned, calling for peace, stability and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.
Isaev additionally conveyed the Kyrgyz authorities’s proposal for South Korea to “think about establishing a particular vice-ministerial financial dialogue between South Korea and Central Asian international locations,” highlighting the necessity for a platform for ongoing discussions to deal with shared challenges, alternate greatest practices, and coordinate new instructions for mutually useful financial cooperation.
Of their respective speeches, Tajik Deputy Overseas Minister Imomi Sodiq Ashurboyzoda and Turkmen Ambassador to Korea Begench Durdyyev emphasised the importance of mutually useful cooperation.
Ashurboyzoda mentioned, “If Korea’s experience and revolutionary applied sciences are utilized to Tajikistan’s mining, textile and meals industries, not solely will manufacturing effectivity enhance, however it can additionally allow Tajikistan to combine into world provide chains.”
Durdyyev highlighted the “significance of unified efforts throughout all promising fields the place Korea-Central Asia cooperation is required.”
“Our partnership must be developed with cautious consideration of every nation’s pursuits and potential.”
