Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

Minister JK (Jung-Kwan) Kim of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) met with Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, in Seoul on June 26, 2026. They discussed ways to deliver tangible results in bilateral economic cooperation ahead of the first Korea-Central Asia Summit, scheduled for September 2026.

With the Summit approaching, the two sides exchanged views on the need to establish the C5+Korea Industry Ministers’ Meeting as a platform for industrial cooperation between Korea and the five Central Asian countries. They also agreed to expand practical cooperation in trade and investment, AI transformation in manufacturing, the business summit, and support for Korean companies.

The two sides shared the view that economic cooperation between Korea and Uzbekistan is becoming more strategically important amid shifting global supply chains and growing geopolitical uncertainty. They agreed to build on the Summit to lift bilateral trade, which stood at about USD 1.8 billion in 2025, to a new level. They also agreed to strengthen the institutional framework for expanding trade and investment, including by resuming FTA negotiations once Uzbekistan accedes to the WTO.

The two sides agreed to make AI transformation in manufacturing a key area of future cooperation. With more Korean companies entering Uzbekistan, the two sides agreed to use Korea’s ODA-funded digital manufacturing technology center project to build a more systematic framework for cooperation on AI transformation in manufacturing, manufacturing data standardization, and workforce training, while expanding business opportunities for companies in both countries.

The two sides agreed to use the Korea-Central Asia Business Summit, planned alongside the first Korea-Central Asia Summit, to expand business exchanges between Korean and Central Asian companies and identify new commercial opportunities.
As more Korean companies enter Uzbekistan, Minister Kim asked the Uzbek government to continue supporting their business operations and addressing issues they face. He also commended the Korea Desk at Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade and asked the Uzbek ministry to use the channel to help resolve Korean companies’ concerns and support a more business-friendly investment environment.

“Uzbekistan is a key cooperation partner for Korea and an important economic partner in Central Asia,” Minister Kim said. “We will work closely so the Korea-Central Asia Summit in September can help take bilateral economic cooperation to the next level.”