Lee Concludes Three Days of Central Asia Summit Diplomacy... Expands Resource-Technology Supply Chain Cooperation

Following Bilateral Talks With Five Nations, the First Multilateral Summit
Institutionalizing Cooperation Through the 'Seoul Declaration'
Concrete Agreements on High-Speed Rail, Crude Oil, and Key Minerals
Next Summit Scheduled for 2028 in Kazakh

President Lee Jae-myung concluded three days of summit diplomacy on the 16th with an official dinner attended by the leaders of five Central Asian countries. Through separate bilateral meetings with each nation, cooperation projects in fields such as crude oil, critical minerals, and railways were made more concrete, and the first Korea-Central Asia Summit established a joint cooperation framework to support these efforts. The focus was on linking the diversification of Korea’s supply chains with the industrial advancement of Central Asia, aiming to expand the partnership—historically centered on resources and energy—into manufacturing and advanced technologies.

On the 16th, the 1st Korea-Central Asia Summit of 2026 is being held at a hotel in Seoul, presided over by President Lee Jae-myung. September 16, 2026 Yonhap News Photo by Yonhap

According to the Office of the President on the 17th, President Lee held summit talks on the 14th with Uzbekistan, on the 15th with Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, and on the 16th with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. He then presided over the 1st Korea-Central Asia Summit, attended by all five leaders, where the “Seoul Declaration”—a medium- and long-term cooperation vision—was adopted.

With this summit, regional cooperation that began with a forum in 2007 was elevated to the level of national leaders. The participants agreed to hold a leadership summit every two years and, in non-summit years, a ministerial-level cooperation forum. The next summit in 2028 will be hosted by Kazakhstan. The relationship, which had centered around discussing individual issues, has evolved into a more comprehensive partnership where leaders review medium-to-long-term tasks and track implementation together.

The core of economic cooperation lies in building a “mutually beneficial value chain.” This involves connecting Korean technology and workforce development to local processing and manufacturing in Central Asia. For Central Asia, this approach creates added value and jobs beyond raw material exports; for Korea, it offers participation from the initial stages of production, thereby expanding procurement channels and markets. The intent is to enhance sustainability by linking resource acquisition to nurturing partner industries.

Both sides signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on industrial and supply chain cooperation and established a new council of industry ministers. Plans were made to broaden collaboration—from investment in manufacturing facilities to transportation and market entry—by jointly expanding rail and logistics networks and improving customs and certification procedures. Joint initiatives were also adopted in artificial intelligence (AI), science and technology, as well as climate, energy, and the environment.

The bilateral meetings resulted in agreements tailored to each country’s needs. With Uzbekistan, a feasibility study will be launched on introducing eight high-speed rail sets and establishing the genome and biobank “Biome Center.” With Kazakhstan, the relationship was elevated to a “future-oriented comprehensive strategic partnership,” along with strengthened cooperation in crude oil and nuclear fuel supply chains.

The investment protection agreement concluded with Turkmenistan means Korea now holds such agreements with all five Central Asian countries. With Tajikistan, a comprehensive partnership was established, expanding cooperation in railways and critical minerals. With Kyrgyzstan, 18 collaborative documents were signed in areas including urban development, infrastructure, and trade investment.

Private-sector cooperation also took concrete shape. On the 16th, in conjunction with the business summit, 19 MOUs were signed in fields such as critical minerals and infrastructure; 16 agreements and export contracts worth 14 million dollars were concluded at a parallel export consultation event. In diplomacy and security, the Seoul Declaration confirmed support for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the Korean government’s efforts to ease tensions and resume inter-Korean dialogue.

President Lee Jae-myung is making a toast at the official dinner of the 1st Korea-Central Asia Summit 2026 held at a hotel in Seoul on the 16th. September 16, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The official dinner—the final event—highlighted Central Asian culinary culture. “Silk Road Shashlik of Hanwoo and Lamb,” made with halal-certified Korean beef, was served, and all toasts were accompanied by non-alcoholic beverages. Traditional Korean and Central Asian musical instruments were played in collaboration and there was a performance by BoyNextDoor.

At the dinner, President Lee commented that the summit had “set a bountiful table of cooperation.” Regarding the Central Asian tradition of not filling a guest’s teacup to the brim, he expressed his sense of hospitality by saying, “By frequently refilling your cups, I wish to show my affection and hope we may spend even a little more time together.”

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