Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — South Korea and Uzbekistan are “ideal partners,” South Korean Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol said, calling for closer cooperation between regional governments of the two countries. The South Korean Ministry of Economy and Finance reported his remarks.
Koo made the statement on 11 September in Seoul at the first Forum for Cooperation between Regional Governments of Korea and Uzbekistan.
The event was organized by the Governors Association of Korea and the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the Republic of Korea ahead of the Korea-Central Asia Summit.
About 150 representatives of central and local government bodies, businesses, academic institutions and private-sector circles from the two countries attended the forum. Participants discussed practical areas of cooperation in the economy, industry, investment, culture and tourism.
Uzbekistan was represented by Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojayev, the governors of Ferghana, Tashkent and Namangan regions — Khairullo Bozorov, Zoyir Mirzayev and Shavkat Abdurazakov — as well as representatives of other regions. In total, representatives of nine of Uzbekistan’s 14 first-level administrative and territorial units attended the forum.
Koo said balanced regional development had become strategically important for the economy, making interregional cooperation particularly significant. He said regional authorities should use the unique strengths of their territories to establish “indispensable cooperation” capable of taking bilateral partnership to a new level.
The South Korean deputy prime minister stressed that regional cooperation should produce concrete economic results, including attracting investment and creating new jobs.
Koo also said the South Korean government was ready to provide active financial and institutional support for such projects. Planned instruments include the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF), the Supply Chain Stabilization Fund and other forms of government financing.
He added that the Korean side intended to help remove administrative and practical barriers faced by companies and regional authorities when implementing projects.
Koo highlighted several promising areas of economic cooperation, including critical raw-material supply chains and energy, future technologies such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology, as well as transport, logistics and workforce training.
As examples of existing interregional cooperation, he cited collaboration between Incheon and Ferghana region on special economic zones, a partnership between South Gyeongsang Province and Tashkent region on industrial workforce training, and smart agriculture projects between South Chungcheong Province and Namangan region.
Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khojayev said that increasing bilateral trade from US$2 billion to US$5 billion would require expanded cooperation in natural resources, digital transformation, infrastructure and tourism, as well as the creation of an effective coordination system.
Koo said Korea and Uzbekistan were connected not only by historical ties dating back to the Silk Road, but also by trust built since diplomatic relations were established in 1992. He cited projects ranging from Daewoo Auto’s automotive production to the Surgil gas chemical complex as examples of large-scale economic cooperation.
According to the South Korean deputy prime minister, further cooperation in critical raw materials, healthcare and infrastructure could strengthen the two countries’ positions in the global market.
Koo also referred to South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s position on the importance of balanced regional development. He said regional authorities should play a greater role in joint economic development and international cooperation.
The South Korean government plans to continue working with regional authorities to expand cooperation in supply chains, high-tech industries and infrastructure. Such projects are expected to contribute to economic growth and job creation in both countries.
Koo expressed hope that discussions at the forum would be translated into concrete investment projects and deliver practical results for the economies and people of South Korea and Uzbekistan.
