UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | Rep. Kim Kyo-heung of South Korea's Democratic Party, who chairs the Korea-Uzbekistan Parliamentary Friendship Association, has stepped up parliamentary diplomacy efforts to support the successful hosting of the first Korea-Central Asia Summit, scheduled to take place in Seoul this September, and to expand practical cooperation between Seoul and Tashkent.

On 20 August, Kim, who represents Incheon Seo-gu Gap, met with Alisher Abdusalomov, Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Korea, for a wide-ranging discussion on the direction of bilateral relations, the revitalization of parliamentary exchanges, and measures to expand economic and investment cooperation. Kim described Uzbekistan as a key partner and the only Central Asian country to have established a special strategic partnership with South Korea, and said he would actively support the summit at the parliamentary level to ensure its success.

The first Korea-Central Asia Summit is scheduled to take place in Seoul from 16 to 17 September, bringing together five Central Asian nations: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. The summit is expected to serve as an important diplomatic platform for advancing cooperation between Korea and Central Asia to a new level.

During the meeting, Kim and Ambassador Abdusalomov discussed expanding cooperation in healthcare, high-speed rail and transport infrastructure, critical mineral supply chains, artificial intelligence, education, and economic and investment ties, as well as ways to revitalize exchanges between the two countries' parliaments and parliamentary friendship associations. Kim noted that economic cooperation between Korea and Uzbekistan has continued to expand since President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office, with bilateral trade roughly doubling and investment increasing by approximately 4.5 times.

Kim said he would spare no effort in supporting further expansion of bilateral cooperation in future-oriented fields such as critical minerals, supply chains, education, artificial intelligence and healthcare. Uzbekistan holds substantial mineral resources, including uranium, tungsten and copper, and Korean companies have expanded into sectors including automobiles, construction, textiles, energy and transport infrastructure, broadening the foundation for bilateral economic cooperation. Mirziyoyev's upcoming visit to Korea and the summit are expected to provide an opportunity to advance the special strategic partnership between the two countries and identify new cooperative projects in critical mineral supply chains and high-tech industries.

Kim also highlighted the historical role played by the Koryo-in community — approximately 170,000 ethnic Koreans residing in Uzbekistan — in strengthening relations between the two countries, describing them as a valuable bridge connecting Korea and Uzbekistan. He said he would actively cooperate at the parliamentary level on initiatives such as establishing a Koryo-in history museum to preserve their history and culture for future generations.

Ambassador Abdusalomov thanked Kim for his role in promoting cooperation between the two countries' parliaments and asked for continued support toward the summit's success and the expansion of Korean companies' participation in Uzbekistan's economic and investment sectors.

Kim visited Uzbekistan in person last June, meeting with Senate Speaker Tanzila Narbayeva and Sadiq Safayev, president of the Uzbekistan-Korea Parliamentary Friendship Association, to discuss ways to strengthen parliamentary cooperation. He has also participated in the Korea-Uzbekistan Economic Cooperation Forum to review practical cooperation projects with business and economic sector officials, and plans to continue expanding regular parliamentary exchanges to help translate summit agreements into concrete policies and projects.

The upcoming Korea-Central Asia Summit and Mirziyoyev's visit to Korea in September are expected to mark a significant turning point, opening new avenues for cooperation between Korea and Uzbekistan in economy, supply chains, high-tech industries, culture and people-to-people exchange.