Korea, Uzbekistan deepen ties in critical minerals, AI and defense

Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a bilateral summit Monday in Seoul to discuss cooperation in critical mineral supply chains, AI and the defense industry.

"Uzbekistan is a very special country where some 200,000 ethnic Koreans have built lives and communities,” Lee said during their summit at the Blue House in central Seoul. "We will expand the scope of people-to-people and cultural exchanges to nurture this precious historical bond and achieve even greater results.”

Lee then proposed to “broaden the horizons of mutually beneficial cooperation, spanning areas including transportation infrastructure, health care and climate crisis response to include critical mineral supply chains, AI, digital technology and the defense industry, and jointly drive momentum for future growth."

Mirziyoyev was on a state visit to Seoul to attend the inaugural Korea-Central Asia Summit on Wednesday. The two leaders held their first summit talks on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York one year ago.

During their talks, Lee called Uzbekistan South Korea's "precious friend and a key partner,” as the two leaders agreed to further deepen their bilateral strategic partnership for mutual prosperity.

"Over 700 South Korean companies have entered the Uzbek market through joint ventures, and the scale of investment continues to grow,” Mirziyoyev said. "I am deeply grateful to the Korean government for its unwavering support and active cooperation regarding Uzbekistan's sweeping reforms."

He also noted that “history has shown the relationship between our two nations remains unshaken by political fluctuations" and pledged to “continue to steadfastly support the South Korean government's efforts to solidify peace and security on the Korean Peninsula."

Korea and Uzbekistan signed a total of 13 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and agreements, covering cooperation in education, tourism, agriculture, intellectual property, the manufacturing AI transformation and the defense industry. The two sides also signed a treaty on the transfer of sentenced persons and a protocol amending the framework agreement on grant aid.

Uzbekistan is a country rich in mineral resources, holding some of the world’s largest reserves of gold, copper, natural gas and uranium. The two countries have cooperated on various transportation and infrastructure development projects.

Earlier in the day, Lee and first lady Kim Hea Kyung welcomed Mirziyoyev and his wife in an official welcoming ceremony with an honor guard of about 280 personnel from the three branches of the military and a group of 30 children. The two leaders then held summit talks, attended an MOU signing ceremony and a state banquet.

Halal-certified Korean cuisine was served at the state banquet. The menu featured ingredients from both countries, including live lobster and scallop, marinated Hanwoo beef, marinated lamb rack and chicken soup.

Business leaders with special ties to Uzbekistan also attended the event, including Lee Yong-bae, CEO of Hyundai Rotem, and Kim Byoung-soo, CEO of Robotis, which established its first overseas production base in the country. Korean heavy industry firm Hyundai Rotem built high-speed trains for Uzbekistan's longest railway route, the 1,020-kilometer (633.8-mile) route linking the capital Tashkent with Khiva in western Uzbekistan. Korean robotics company Robotis established its first overseas production base in Uzbekistan.

Lee gave red ginseng products to Mirziyoyev as a gift, a gesture wishing the Uzbek president good health and well-being, the Blue House said. The first lady was presented with porcelain and silver pottery to showcase Korean aesthetic beauty.

Earlier on Monday, Lee held talks with Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda and agreed to enhance cooperation between Korea and ADB on stabilizing the supply of critical minerals, nuclear power and AI, the Blue House said.

"Combining Korea's AI capabilities with the ADB's development expertise can yield meaningful results,” Lee said.

He also shared his initiative to promote "AI for all" and an "AI-basic society” based on inclusive AI use.

Kanda noted that the Korean economy is demonstrating outstanding performance despite uncertain global economic conditions and said he is impressed by the Korean government’s remarkable leadership in the AI and digital sectors.

BY SARAH KIM [[email protected]]