Eldor Aripov Highlights Central Asia’s Regional Cooperation in Seoul

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan (ISRS), Eldor Aripov, took part in the annual Forum on Culture and Strategies of the Korean Peninsula and Northern Countries held on 15–16 June in Seoul.

This year’s forum was dedicated to the theme “For Peace and Prosperity: Overcoming Conflicts Through Solidarity in an Era of Renewed Global Power Competition.”

The event, organised by the Center for International Area Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (CIAS), brought together representatives of think tanks and academic institutions from Central Asia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the European Union, the United States, Türkiye, the Asia-Pacific region, and South Asia.

Speaking at a session on public diplomacy, Aripov said that in conditions of growing geopolitical uncertainty, mechanisms for strengthening trust between states and peoples are becoming increasingly important.

He noted that Central Asia has made significant progress in regional cooperation due to the political will of regional leaders. This has helped resolve long-standing disputes, expand cross-border cooperation, and build an atmosphere of mutual trust.

According to him, the region is demonstrating steady political and economic integration. Over recent years, intra-regional trade has increased nearly fivefold, while mutual investment has more than doubled.

Particular attention was given to the role of public diplomacy. Aripov said sustainable peace and stability are not possible without active societal engagement. Expanded people-to-people contacts, cross-border trade, tourism, educational exchange, and cultural cooperation contribute to strengthening trust among regional countries.

He cited mechanisms of regional connectivity such as consultative meetings of Central Asian heads of state, the inter-parliamentary forum, the dialogue of women leaders, the forum of university rectors, the historians’ forum, youth initiatives, and the international media platform “History and Culture of Central Asia: One Past and a Shared Future.”

Referring to Uzbekistan–Korea relations, Aripov said the Republic of Korea is one of Uzbekistan’s key partners in Asia, with bilateral ties elevated to the level of a special strategic partnership in 2019.

Trade turnover between the two countries approached US$2 billion in 2025. He also highlighted the role of the Korean diaspora in Uzbekistan, numbering around 177,000 people, in strengthening bilateral ties.

He further noted strong cooperation in education, including Korean language studies in universities and schools, branches of South Korean universities operating in Uzbekistan, and expanding inter-university partnerships.

In conclusion, Aripov said the Central Asian experience demonstrates the effectiveness of good-neighbourly relations, open dialogue, and mutual consideration of interests in promoting peace and sustainable development.