South Korea have agreed to establish a joint platform for exploring and developing strategically important minerals, the Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade reported.
Minister Laziz Kudratov held talks with South Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Kim Jung-kwan, in Seoul on September 14.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the two sides signed agreements to establish a joint platform for exploring and developing strategic minerals, as well as measures aimed at boosting export potential and trade cooperation.
The talks were held as part of the first meeting of industry ministers from Central Asian countries and South Korea, themed "The Future of Growth and Innovation Cooperation Between Korea and Central Asia."
The meeting brought together senior officials from Uzbekistan, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, and was organized ahead of the first Central Asia-South Korea summit.
At the event, Uzbekistan proposed removing technical barriers to trade, mutually recognizing certification and testing results, and developing an industrial cooperation program that would include high-tech projects.
The delegation also put forward proposals to create a unified digital platform for industrial initiatives and to form a standing expert group at the deputy-minister level.
The parties also discussed deepening cooperation in trade, investment, industrial infrastructure, and critical minerals, as well as deploying artificial intelligence in manufacturing and workforce training.
Automated quality control, predictive equipment maintenance, energy efficiency, and production data analysis were identified as promising areas for cooperation, with plans to expand professional internship programs for engineers and technologists.
At the close of the meeting, the parties signed a joint memorandum on cooperation in industry and supply chains, along with a joint statement from the first meeting of the South Korea-Central Asia Industry Ministers' Consultative Mechanism.
Trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Central Asian countries and South Korea rose nearly 10 percent in 2025, topping $10 billion. In the January-July period of 2026, that figure grew 25 percent year-on-year to reach $6.5 billion.
The agreement follows an earlier proposal by the president to build a "New Silk Road" with South Korea.
Stay up to date with all the latest news:
