BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 17. South Korean
companies are playing an increasingly important role in
Uzbekistan’s economy, with more than 700 enterprises operating with
South Korean capital and bilateral trade approaching $2 billion in
2025.
This was reflected in the statement by the Fergana regional
administration.
Trade between Uzbekistan and South Korea has increased fivefold
in recent years, reaching nearly $2 billion in 2025. In the first
half of 2026, bilateral trade exceeded $940 million, up nearly 12%
from the same period a year earlier.
South Korea has also become a major source of foreign investment
for Uzbekistan. The total volume of South Korean direct investment
in the Uzbek economy has exceeded $8 billion, while 60 investment
projects worth a combined $8.8 billion are currently being
implemented.
More than 700 companies with South Korean capital are currently
operating in Uzbekistan. During the first half of 2026 alone,
Uzbekistan attracted more than $290 million in South Korean
investment, underscoring the continued expansion of bilateral
economic ties.
According to Trend’s calculations, the $8 billion-plus stock of
South Korean direct investment is roughly 4.3 times the two
countries’ $1.87 billion trade turnover in 2025, based on the
reported figure of nearly $2 billion. The 60 ongoing projects also
have an average announced value of approximately $147 million each,
based on their combined $8.8 billion value.
The partnership is also expanding beyond Uzbekistan’s main
economic centers. In the Fergana region, 48 enterprises with South
Korean capital are currently operating. Seven Uzbek-Korean joint
enterprises in the region invested $70 million during the first
half of 2026.
South Korea’s role in Uzbekistan is increasingly based on both
trade and long-term investment. The scale of ongoing projects
compared with current bilateral trade indicates that the
relationship is moving toward deeper industrial and investment
cooperation rather than remaining focused primarily on goods
exchange.
