President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, who arrived in South Korea on September 13 for a state visit ahead of the first Korea-Central Asia Summit in Seoul on September 16, told The Chosun Daily, “Korea and Uzbekistan are long-standing partners and close friends who support each other,” expressing his intention to strengthen cooperation in advanced fields. President Mirziyoyev, who served as governor of Samarkand and prime minister before taking office in 2016, will hold a bilateral summit with President Lee Jae Myung on September 14. At the Korea-Central Asia Summit, President Lee and the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan are expected to adopt the “Seoul Declaration.”
Uzbekistan is the most populous country in Central Asia, a strategic hub connecting Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and the only nation bordering all four other Central Asian countries. It is also the first country to export Korea’s high-speed rail technology. President Mirziyoyev described Korea as “a country that always holds a special place in my heart,” adding, “By combining Korea’s advanced industrial capabilities with Uzbekistan’s growth potential and resources, we can create new growth engines together in future industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, electric vehicles, biopharmaceuticals, and smart agriculture.” He emphasized, “Uzbekistan aims to integrate deeper into global value chains, while Korea seeks to diversify its supply chains—our needs align. We will actively support Korean companies in establishing advanced manufacturing hubs in Uzbekistan, covering everything from parts procurement to finished product production.”
He praised Korea’s rapid growth model, stating, “Korea transformed from an agriculture-based nation into a global advanced industrial powerhouse in just one generation, and Uzbekistan is now on the path of its own great transformation.” He shared a Uzbek proverb, “A horse running alone does not raise dust,” and expressed optimism about cooperation with Korea, saying, “Great achievements require collective effort.”
Uzbekistan is a resource-rich country with over 100 types of minerals, including gold, copper, natural gas, and uranium. More than 700 joint projects and collaborations involving Korean companies are underway in the country, with cumulative investments exceeding 8 billion dollars (approximately 10.75 trillion Korean won). President Mirziyoyev likened this cooperation to opening a “new Silk Road” for the 21st century. He said, “While the ancient Silk Road facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, knowledge, and technology, today’s Silk Road can be built through advanced production networks, digital infrastructure, and transportation and energy corridors. By combining Korea’s technology and capital with Central Asia’s resources and geographical advantages, we can create new value chains and logistics networks.”
This is President Mirziyoyev’s third visit to Korea since taking office, following trips in 2017 and 2021. Recalling his first meeting with President Lee at the UN General Assembly in New York last year, he said, “My steps as a state guest to the ‘Land of the Morning Calm’ are light.” He also expressed affection for the Korean diaspora in Uzbekistan, the largest in Central Asia, numbering approximately 170,000 people. “Koreans have made Uzbekistan their second homeland over generations, contributing immensely to our society through diligence and sincerity,” he said. Regarding the first Korea-Central Asia Summit, he added, “This will mark a new phase in relations between Korea and Central Asia.”
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