President Lee: "Uzbekistan Is the Core Partner in Central Asia"... Launch of "Korea Desk" (Comprehensive)

Summit with Uzbek President
"Mutual Prosperity Through Expanded Trade and Investment"
Broader Cooperation on Key Minerals, AI, and Defense
Launch of Bilateral Business Council
Collaboration on High-Speed Rail and Airport Infrastructure

On September 14, President Lee Jae-myung held a summit with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and agreed to broaden the core axis of bilateral cooperation from its traditional focus on transportation and infrastructure to encompass strategic industries such as critical minerals, artificial intelligence (AI), defense, and biotech sectors. The two countries will officially launch the “Korea Desk,” a dedicated organization for Korean companies within the Uzbek government, and establish a bilateral business council that includes business leaders from both countries, providing institutional support for Korean firms seeking to enter the local market.

President Lee Jae-myung and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan are holding an expanded summit at the Blue House on the 14th. September 14, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

During the expanded summit held at the Blue House in the afternoon, President Lee described Uzbekistan as “a key partner in Central Asia” and expressed his ambition for both countries to further strengthen trade and investment, aiming for a long-term, mutually prosperous relationship.

President Mirziyoyev also described Korea as a “special nation” to Uzbekistan, emphasizing the significance of the relationship, which has evolved from a strategic partnership to the sole “special strategic partnership” among Central Asian countries. The intent is to further elevate cooperation—especially in economic and industrial sectors—based on the trust cultivated between the two nations.

The two leaders discussed concrete measures to advance the “special strategic partnership” in a future-oriented way. President Mirziyoyev stated that the relationship between Korea and Uzbekistan has developed into the closest and most exemplary partnership in Central Asia, reaffirming Uzbekistan’s unwavering support for the Korean government’s policy on the Korean Peninsula.

In the economic sphere, priority was given to improving the environment for Korean companies expanding into Uzbekistan. With this summit as a catalyst, the Korea Desk— a dedicated organization for Korean businesses within the Uzbek government — will officially be launched. In addition, the first-ever bilateral private business platform, the “Korea-Uzbekistan Business Council,” will be established.

The two leaders expressed expectations that the Korea Desk and the business council will support stable investments and local ventures by Korean companies, serving as channels for both governments and businesses to jointly identify new projects.

President Lee Jae-myung and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev greet a children’s welcoming group at the official welcoming ceremony held at the Blue House on September 14, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The scope of cooperation will also be expanded to advanced and strategic industries. In the critical minerals sector, the two countries agreed to enhance their whole-cycle supply chain partnership—covering exploration, development, and processing—centered on the “Korea-Uzbekistan Rare Metals Center.” The goal is to combine Uzbekistan’s abundant mineral resources with Korea’s strength in processing and manufacturing to improve supply chain stability.

In the AI sector, based on the “Manufacturing AI Transformation (AX) Cooperation MOU” signed by both countries, they will jointly promote the AI transformation of manufacturing sites. Through collaboration in technology, talent, and infrastructure, they agreed to upgrade the existing digital manufacturing partnership into an AI-driven manufacturing innovation alliance.

Cooperation in transportation and logistics infrastructure, areas where the two countries have shown strengths, will also continue. The two leaders reviewed achievements such as high-speed rail, and agreed to support Korean companies’ active participation in new Uzbek infrastructure projects, building on their success in winning contracts for the Tashkent New Airport and Urgench Airport development and operations.

In particular, the procurement of eight high-speed trains for Uzbekistan and the construction of the national genomic and biobank center, “Biom Center,” will be subject to feasibility studies funded by the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF). Depending on the results, the scope of these projects will be specified and linked to the entry of Korean firms into the local transportation and healthcare infrastructure markets.

Defense industry cooperation has also emerged as a new axis. The leaders agreed to build upon the high level of mutual trust to produce new achievements and to continually expand the scope of cooperation in the defense sector. On the occasion of the summit, a defense cooperation agreement was also signed between Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Uztech Trade.

In health and biotech, the two countries will broaden their foundation for business in pharmaceuticals and medical devices through the construction of healthcare clusters and regulatory cooperation on medical products. The plan is to enhance regulatory collaboration to support advances in Uzbekistan’s healthcare system, while improving the environment for Korean pharmaceutical and biotech companies’ local entry.

The two countries will also bolster joint responses to environmental issues in Central Asia such as the desertification of the Aral Sea and water shortages. In addition to ongoing cooperation in forestry and environment, they will identify projects related to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and landfill gas power generation for climate change response, and will pursue further progress in international greenhouse gas reduction projects.

The two leaders also agreed to expand people-to-people exchanges. Last year, reciprocal visits between the two countries reached a record 150,000. Cooperation in tourism and education will be strengthened to facilitate mutual visits, and partnerships in Korean language education will be deepened, with Korean included as an official subject in Uzbek government-hosted Olympiads.

Recognizing Uzbekistan as the Central Asian country with the largest Koryoin (ethnic Korean) population, the two countries will continue collaboration related to the Koryoin community. To mark next year’s 90th anniversary of the settlement of Koryoin in Central Asia, both countries will complete the joint “Koryoin History Museum Project,” and pass down the historical assets of the Koryoin community to future generations.

President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung are heading to the dinner hall with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and First Lady Ziroat Mirziyoyeva at the Blue House on September 14, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

Immediately after the summit, the two leaders attended a ceremony to exchange a total of 13 agreements, MOUs, and contracts. Areas covered included high-speed rail and biotech projects, manufacturing AX, medical products, financial and defense cooperation, as well as education, tourism, agriculture, intellectual property, and forestry. The Export-Import Bank of Korea and its Uzbek counterpart also agreed to cooperate on identifying joint business opportunities and providing financial support for strategic industries such as critical minerals, AI and data centers, smart cities, and industrial complexes dedicated to Korean companies.

In a written briefing, Kang Yoo-jung, senior spokesperson at the Blue House, explained, “The documents exchanged this time broaden bilateral cooperation, previously centered on transportation and infrastructure, to include advanced industries and areas visible to the general public, and provide the concrete projects and institutional foundation flowing from summit-level agreements.” She added, “This has created an opportunity for the Korea-Uzbekistan relationship to develop in a practical and future-oriented way by expanding cooperation in advanced industries and areas felt by ordinary people, and translating summit agreements into concrete projects and institutional foundations.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.