BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 14. South Korea and
Central Asian countries have agreed to deepen industrial and
supply-chain cooperation, signing a joint memorandum and adopting a
joint statement at the first meeting of their industry
ministers.


This was reflected in the statement by the Ministry of
Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, following the
inaugural meeting of the Industry Ministers of Central Asian
countries and South Korea, held in Seoul under the theme “Future
Cooperation between Korea and Central Asia for Growth and
Innovation.”


The meeting brought together Uzbekistan’s Investment, Industry
and Trade Minister Laziz Kudratov, South Korean Minister of Trade,
Industry and Energy Kim Jeong-gwan, and heads of relevant
government agencies from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and
Turkmenistan.


The meeting concluded with the signing of a joint memorandum on
cooperation in industry and supply chains and the adoption of a
joint statement by the Consultative Mechanism of Industry Ministers
of South Korea and Central Asia.


The new ministerial format is designed to complement political
dialogue with a practical agenda focused on industry, trade and
technology and to strengthen links between Central Asian companies
and South Korean businesses.


“This new mechanism provides a practical platform for advancing
industrial cooperation, strengthening supply chains and connecting
the technological capabilities of South Korean companies with the
industrial potential of Central Asia,” the Uzbek Ministry of
Investment, Industry and Trade said.


The meeting was held ahead of the first Central Asia-South Korea
summit.







Uzbekistan highlighted the growing scale of its economic ties
with Central Asia and South Korea. In 2025, the country’s trade
turnover with Central Asian states and South Korea exceeded $10
billion, increasing by nearly 10% year over year. From January
through July 2026, the figure reached $6.5 billion, up 25%.


More than 3,000 enterprises with capital from South Korea and
Central Asian countries currently operate in Uzbekistan.


Against this backdrop, Uzbekistan called for a shift from
expanding trade toward joint production, localization and the
development of regional value chains.


The Uzbek side proposed eliminating technical barriers, mutually
recognizing certificates and test results, and developing an
industrial cooperation program with specific high-tech projects. It
also proposed creating a unified digital platform for industrial
initiatives and a permanent expert group at the deputy-minister
level. All of the initiatives received full support from the South
Korean side.


The technology agenda covered critical minerals, industrial
infrastructure, artificial intelligence in manufacturing and
workforce development. The sides identified automated quality
control, predictive maintenance, energy efficiency and industrial
data analysis as potential areas for cooperation.


In a separate meeting, Kudratov and Kim signed agreements on
creating an Uzbekistan-South Korea platform for the exploration and
development of strategically important minerals, as well as
expanding export potential and trade cooperation.