Uzbekistan Airports and Incheon International Airport Corporation Sign PPP Agreement to Modernize Urgench Airport

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan Airports and Incheon International Airport Corporation have signed a public-private partnership agreement for the modernization of Urgench International Airport.

The ceremony took place on 15 October 2025, in Tashkent and marked the logical continuation of the previously completed tender for the project.

The event was attended by Javlonbek Umarhodzhaev, Chairman of the Board of Uzbekistan Airports; Lee Hak Jae, President of Incheon International Airport Corporation; Oybek Matkarimov, Director of Urgench International Airport; and Ilkhom Makhkamov, Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan.

Javlonbek Umarhodzhaev emphasized that cooperation with the South Korean partner opens a new chapter in the development of the country’s airport infrastructure. “The experience of Incheon International Airport in managing one of the world’s leading airports will serve as a solid foundation for introducing advanced technologies, improving passenger service quality, and strengthening Uzbekistan’s transit potential,” he noted.

The agreement provides for the joint implementation of the project to modernize and operate Urgench Airport. The private partner will be responsible for constructing and managing passenger and cargo terminals, including ground handling, while the state retains responsibility for the airside infrastructure, including the runway and apron.

The tender for the project under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model was announced on August 1, 2024, following Presidential Decree No. PP-308. All stages of the tender were completed in April 2025, with Incheon International Airport Corporation—the operator of Incheon Airport in Seoul, South Korea, one of the world’s leading airports—selected as the winner. In 2024, Incheon Airport served over 80 million passengers.

The project’s implementation will introduce international management standards, improve passenger services, and strengthen Uzbekistan’s position as a key regional transit hub.