TASHKENT: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev strengthened their nations’ “special strategic partnership” across various sectors, marking a new era of collaboration between the two countries. Both leaders held a summit at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace in Tashkent,
During the summit, South Korea-based heavy industry firm Hyundai Rotem and state-run Uzbekistan Railways signed a deal worth 270 billion won ($195.7 million) for the export of South Korea’s domestically developed high-speed trains to Uzbekistan. This marks South Korea’s inaugural export of its homegrown bullet train technology.
Under the agreement, six high-speed trains, each comprising seven cars and capable of reaching a top speed of 250 kilometers per hour, will be supplied to Uzbekistan.
The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at bolstering cooperation in railway operations and maintenance, workforce development, and train depot construction. Additionally, Uzbekistan stands to benefit from $200 million in loans from Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund, facilitating the deployment of Korean high-speed electric trains within the country.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Tashkent, President Yoon emphasized the significance of the export deal in enhancing bilateral cooperation and infrastructure development. He further underscored the importance of expanding opportunities for infrastructure collaboration between the two nations, expressing a commitment to close cooperation in this regard.
The summit also witnessed the signing of agreements aimed at facilitating South Korean participation in Uzbekistan’s infrastructure projects, including a $5.35 billion tender for a toll road project connecting the capital city of Tashkent with Andijan, Uzbekistan’s most densely populated region.
Moreover, additional loans from the Economic Development Cooperation Fund will support the second-stage construction of “Tashkent Pharma Park,” aimed at advancing research and production in the Uzbek pharmaceutical sector.
In the realm of critical minerals, both nations agreed to strengthen cooperation, leveraging Uzbekistan’s rich reserves of strategic minerals such as tungsten and molybdenum, vital for semiconductor chip and electric vehicle battery production. South Korean firms will be granted priority in exploring and commercializing these minerals.
President Mirziyoyev reiterated Uzbekistan’s commitment to emulating South Korea’s development success across various sectors, including industry, electronics, digitalization, agriculture, education, and healthcare. He also affirmed Uzbekistan’s support for South Korea’s efforts towards lasting peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.
The summit concluded with the signing of 17 agreements, underscoring the depth and breadth of the burgeoning partnership between South Korea and Uzbekistan. President Yoon’s state visit to Uzbekistan, the final leg of his Central Asia tour, marks a significant step towards strengthening ties and fostering mutual prosperity between the two nations.
