Seoul: Enhanced cooperation in the energy and critical minerals supply chains would be a “win-win” for South Korea and Central Asia, Seoul’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, said Monday. Cho expressed hope for a stronger partnership in these areas in the coming years, emphasizing the need to address vulnerabilities in supply chains that have become a significant concern due to Russia’s war in Ukraine and unrest in the Middle East.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho made these remarks at the South Korea-Central Asia forum in Seoul, highlighting the intensifying supply chain challenges amid worsening geopolitical instability. Cho stressed that collaboration between South Korea, known for its technological prowess, and Central Asia, endowed with rich resources, would be mutually beneficial, especially in the sectors of energy and minerals.
Cho further noted that South Korea has already clinched partnership agreements on critical minerals supply with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as part of President Y
oon Suk Yeol’s three-nation tour to Central Asia in June. He expressed Seoul’s ambition to expand such agreements with all five Central Asian countries, which he described as key partners in South Korea’s vision of becoming a ‘global pivotal state’ fostering freedom, peace, and prosperity worldwide.
The minister also discussed the “K-Silk Road” initiative, announced in June, which aims to establish a new cooperation model by merging South Korea’s innovative capabilities with Central Asia’s abundant resources and development potential. Cho expressed his hope that the forum would serve as a platform to further solidify policy agendas ahead of the leaders’ summit between South Korea and Central Asia, scheduled for next year.
In addition to supply chain cooperation, the forum was expected to cover collaboration efforts in areas such as climate change, the digital realm, and tourism. Attendees included top diplomats and vice foreign ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.