Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin Meets with Uzbekistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs

1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin arrived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on the afternoon of June 1 for an official visit to the country. Foreign Minister Park had a bilateral meeting and a dinner with Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov, and had a broad exchange of views on key bilateral issues, regional affairs, and ways to work together in the international arena.

2. Foreign Minister Park took note of the remarkable progress in the Korea-Uzbekistan relations for the past 30 years or so since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, and suggested continuing to develop bilateral relations in a more mutually-beneficial and future-oriented manner for the next 30 years.

3. To that end, the two sides agreed to continue expanding high-level exchanges that have played a key role in the development of bilateral relations, and further strengthen cooperation in areas such as energy and resources, critical mineral supply chains, nuclear power plants, health, education, the digital sector, and environment.

4. In order to expand trade and investment between the two countries, the two Foreign Ministers agreed to continue to work together on Uzbekistan's early accession to the WTO and the establishment of an institutional foundation for promoting bilateral trade and investment. Foreign Minister Saidov expressed appreciation to Korea for actively supporting Uzbekistan's accession to the WTO, as the chair of the Working Party on Uzbekistan's accession.

5. The two sides also agreed to strengthen supply chains of core minerals, including molybdenum and tungsten, through cooperation between Uzbekistan, rich in energy and resources, and Korea, which has advanced technologies such as ICT, amid changes in the international situation, where economic security has become important. In addition, Foreign Minister Park specifically explained the difficulties faced by Korean companies in the fields of energy, infrastructure, and critical raw materials, and Foreign Minister Saidov said that Uzbekistan would continue to consult closely to resolve the difficulties.

6. Foreign Minister Saidov expressed appreciation to Korea for selecting Uzbekistan as an ODA priority partner country and contributing to the economic and social development of the country. The two sides agreed to work closely together to ensure the success of various development cooperation projects, including the construction of a large-scale medical complex and a chemical R&D center.

7. Foreign Minister Park strongly condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range ballistic missile under the pretext of a satellite launch on May 31 as a violation of international law and an act that seriously threatens global peace and stability, and appreciated the remarks made by the spokesperson of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to the launch. Foreign Minister Saidov said that Uzbekistan, as a country that led the creation of a nuclear-free zone in Central Asia, condemns North Korea's latest missile launch that violates United Nations Security Council resolutions, and that his country supports the Korean government's efforts for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

8. Foreign Minister Park explained that the Korean government is making efforts to host the World Expo 2030 Busan, and asked for Uzbekistan's support for Korea's bid to host it in Busan.

9. Right after the Foreign Ministers' meeting, the two Foreign Ministers signed an agreement on climate change cooperation between Korea and Uzbekistan, laying the foundation for strengthening bilateral partnership in climate change, including the pursuit of a greenhouse gas emission reduction project.

10. Meanwhile, prior to today's meeting, three Records of Discussions were signed on the morning of June 1 on KOICA's programs on phytosanitary service capacity building, digital support to the lower house of the parliament, and smart tree-planting capacity building.

11. The Korea-Uzbekistan Foreign Ministers' meeting today served as an opportunity to enhance strategic cooperation with Uzbekistan in various fields and work together with Uzbekistan, a key country in Central Asia and a next-generation emerging market, in strengthening economic security networks among Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Korea.

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