Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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우즈베크 대사 “한국은 신뢰할 파트너”… 첫 한•중앙아 정상회의 협력 확대 기대

From young talent to critical minerals to cutting-edge technology UZBEKISTAN is looking to the upcoming Korea-Central Asia Summit to unlock a partnership with ambitions far beyond borders.
Our senior correspondent Oh Soo-young sat down with the country's top diplomat to Seoul.

People, production, and pioneering technology could drive shared prosperity for Korea and Uzbekistan, and the Central Asian region at large.
That is the vision set out by Uzbek Ambassador Alisher Abdusalomov, ahead of this month’s first Korea-Central Asia Summit in Seoul.
The leaders of Korea and all five Central Asian countries will meet together for the first time, amid sweeping regional reforms.

"Central Asia is going through a huge transformation The education, the infrastructure, and healthcare sectors are developing very much. In this very moment, in this process of transformation, we need very strong and reliable partners, and South Korea is one of those partners."

Uzbekistan is currently Seoul’s only special strategic partner in Central Asia.
With more than 700 Korean companies operating in the country, Uzbekistan's central geographical location can be a gateway to wider markets in the region.
Uzbekistan has a population nearing 40 million with 70 percent under the age of 40 which offers both a talented workforce and digital-savvy consumers.

“South Korean technology innovation, Uzbekistan, the young generation, capable generation, the growing population as well as the natural resources can complement each other and fulfill the needs of each other.
Our goal is to move beyond the traditional concept of investment. We want to build a very unique partnership which will make it possible to develop, to produce and export together not only for Uzbekistan and Korea but also for the whole region as well as for the whole world.”

The most promising sectors include AI, advanced manufacturing, joint research, critical minerals, renewable energy, and water management.
While looking to the future, the Ambassador reflects on the past as a basis for stronger relations.
Next year will mark 90 years since ethnic Koreans were relocated to Central Asia.
Today, Uzbekistan is home to more than 180-thousand ethnic Koreans, while 107-thousand Uzbek citizens live, work, or study in Korea.
This connection between the two countries is also personal for the diplomat, who had studied at a Korean university.

Perhaps this is one of the deepest similarities between our countries with Uzbekistan with a young generation and with a huge natural resources, educated population. We have a very bright future and we believe that South Korea, our Korean partners, are very actively engaged in making our future even brighter."

Building on this human dimension, the Ambassador hopes to see the upcoming summit lead to tangible outcomes that will carry Korea's partnerships forward in the region.

Oh Soo-young, Arirang news.

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2026-09-02, 17:00 (KST)