Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

Vice Minister Moon Shin-hak of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) met with Isojon Qurbonzoda, First Deputy Minister of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan, in Seoul on August 11, 2026. They discussed industrial and economic cooperation projects for the first Korea-Central Asia Summit, scheduled for September 16, 2026, and ways to deliver tangible results through cooperation on critical minerals.

The two sides discussed establishing the C5+Korea Industry Ministers’ Meeting as a regular channel among the industry ministers of Korea and the five Central Asian countries—Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. They also discussed signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on mutually beneficial cooperation between Korea and Tajikistan in industry and new technologies. The two sides also exchanged views on expanding engagement and cooperation between business leaders from both countries through the Korea-Central Asia Business Summit, to be held alongside the leaders’ summit.

The talks also covered closer cooperation on critical mineral supply chains. Vice Minister Moon welcomed the inaugural Korea-Tajikistan Minerals Forum, noting Tajikistan’s diverse mineral resources, including gold, silver, and antimony. The forum will be held in Seoul on August 12, 2026, ahead of the Korea-Central Asia Summit. Vice Minister Moon expressed hope that the forum would help identify practical projects by linking Tajikistan’s resource potential with Korea’s technologies for mineral exploration and development, as well as its demand for minerals. At the forum, government officials and representatives of relevant institutions and companies from both countries will discuss critical minerals policies, opportunities for joint exploration, investment and financing, and supply chain development.

“With their abundant resources and growth potential, Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries are important partners for Korea,” Vice Minister Moon said. “We will further develop the initiatives discussed today to deliver tangible results in industry, supply chains, and critical minerals at the Korea-Central Asia Summit in September.”