President of a leading South Korean institute discusses with Uzbek experts the prospects for the development of strategic partnership between the two countries
On December 10, Seoul hosted a working meeting of a delegation of analytical centers of Uzbekistan with the President of the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) Heungchong Kim.
The delegation led by the Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sanjar Valiyev included experts from the International Institute for Central Asia and the Center for Economic Research and Reforms.
At the meeting, the experts discussed the most important aspects of multifaceted trade and economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea, the implementation of joint large investment projects, and also exchanged views on promising areas for further deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries.
The head of the Korean Institute was provided with up-to-date information on the priorities for further reforms within the framework of the New Uzbekistan Development Strategy, as well as the planned steps to deepen regional cooperation in Central Asia and expand interaction with countries – strategic partners, among which the Republic of Korea has a special place.
At the same time, Heungchong Kim stressed that the Republic of Uzbekistan has serious economic potential and is the most important partner of Seoul in Central Asia. According to the KIEP President, the choice of Shavkat Mirziyoyev for his first state visit after the re-election of the Republic of Korea, among non-CIS countries, indicates the special nature of bilateral relations.
In recent years, the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Korea has acquired a rich and productive character, and regular contacts at the highest level and well-established mechanisms of interstate dialogue have become a solid basis for the parties to enter a new stage of interaction.
In this context, Heungchong Kim put forward several proposals for further deepening cooperation in such dynamically developing areas as digitalization of processes, a green economy, reformatting global supply chains and countering infectious pandemics.
At the meeting, special attention was also paid to the consideration of the idea that the building of the connectivity of the regions of Central and South Asia, initiated by the Leader of Uzbekistan, can act as a connecting link in the implementation of the New North and South economic policy of the Republic of Korea. These conceptual programs of the two countries create conditions for synergy of efforts in creating new supply chains and economic corridors.
Representatives of research institutes discussed the results of previously conducted joint scientific works on assessing the effects of Uzbekistan's accession to the WTO on the leading sectors of the economy and strategies for conducting trade negotiations.
Following the meeting, agreements were reached on the continuation of joint work to further strengthen multifaceted cooperation between Uzbekistan and Korea through scientific and practical activities. The parties discussed possible projects of a bilateral and regional nature in the «5+1» format, training Uzbekistan researchers at KIEP and mutual publications of analytical articles.
KIEP is one of the leading research institutes in Korea in the field of analysis of global economic problems and research of countries with emerging market economies and is one of the top 5 think tanks in Asia. ISRS and CERR cooperate with KIEP within the framework of information and analytical support of the process of Uzbekistan's accession to the WTO.
