The President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York Tuesday, the Uzbek leader’s press services said.
This has been the first meeting between the leaders since their telephone conversation in July of this year, when the parties discussed the ways to strengthen their special strategic partnership and expanding multifaceted cooperation.
Direct investment by Korean companies in the Uzbek economy has surpassed $8 billion. However, the bilateral trade figures have been declining in recent years—from January to August, they totaled $1.13 billion (down by 13.3% to the same period last year).
Reportedly, the parties agreed to develop a long-term Technological and Industrial Partnership Program, which will cover projects in the processing of critical raw materials, chemicals, mechanical engineering, agriculture, transport, aviation, biotechnology, and other areas.
President Lee Jae-myung expressed hope for expanded economic cooperation, particularly in the supply chains of strategic minerals, as well as in transport and infrastructure—the construction of railways, airports, and highways.
He noted the contribution of the more than 170,000 ethnic Koreans living in Uzbekistan to the development of bilateral ties and asked for continued support for this diaspora.
The parties also agreed to cooperate to successfully host the first Korea-Central Asia Summit, which South Korea is scheduled to host next year.
Following the meeting, Mirziyoyev invited Lee Jae-myung to pay a state visit to Uzbekistan.
