Korea, Uzbekistan to bolster ties

President Lee Myung-bak and his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimov agreed yesterday to significantly bolster bilateral energy ties and economic cooperation, noting their strategic partnership was mutually beneficial.

The agreement came in a joint statement issued at the end of a summit held in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, where the Korean president arrived Sunday on a three-day state visit.



"Both sides expressed satisfaction that their bilateral relations in political, economic, cultural and humanitarian sectors have significantly developed in recent years and agreed to increase cooperation between their governments, parliaments, economies and private organizations to further strengthen their strategic partnership," the joint statement said.

Seoul will boost its economic assistance to Tashkent, introducing a new employment program to allow more Uzbek workers into the Korean economy, the world`s 13th-largest, according to the joint statement.

"Our bilateral trade increased 80 percent last year to top $1 billion, proving close cooperation between the two countries. I wish to see such dynamic changes also in other areas, such as our political, economic, social an cultural relations," the Uzbek president said at the beginning of his meeting with Lee.

"This visit here by President Lee shows the firm commitment by us ... to mutual trust and friendship," he added.

Lee replied with a call for increased cooperation.

"Our economic relationship began to grow last year. It will still grow more significantly - though the world economy is going through difficult times - if our two countries join efforts," Lee said.

The Korean president sought increased support for Seoul`s energy security as he and Karimov later attended a ceremony where Korean and Uzbek businesses signed a total of 16 agreements that will give South Korea priority in developing Uzbekistan`s new oil and gas fields.

Lee proposed yesterday building a new "Silk Road" connecting his country and Uzbekistan to place the two nations at the center of Asian economies.

Uzbekistan has agreed to renew and launch joint projects with Korea to explore new oil fields and mineral mines, according to the 12-point statement.

Seoul will boost its economic assistance to Tashkent, introducing a new employment program to allow more Uzbek workers into the Korean economy, the world`s 13th largest, it said.

The "silk road of the 21st century" would "combine South Korea`s world-class IT and digital technologies with Uzbekistan`s geographical advantage as a gateway to Central Asia to become a hub of cargo transportation," Lee said at a luncheon meeting, according to excerpts released ahead of his speech.

Lee was addressing some 160 Korean and Uzbek officials and business representatives, including Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirzieyev.

"The countries must now establish a digital silk road based on WiBro technology, which was commercialized by South Korea for the first time in the world," Lee told the meeting.

Lee and Karimov will head to Uzbekistan`s ancient city of Samarkand today for a brief tour. The Korean president will leave for Kazakhstan later today for a three-day state visit.

Lee is scheduled to hold a summit meeting with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana on Wednesday.

The visit from May 10-14 is part of Seoul`s efforts to strengthen its presence in Central Asia, where world powers are vying for its huge energy resources, pipelines, strategic position and transit corridors connecting Asia and Europe.

"I believe this (summit) will be a very important opportunity for the development of the relationship between the two countries, as well as the development of Uzbekistan," the South Korean president said Sunday in a brief meeting with his Uzbek counterpart at the airport.

"Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Korea is becoming a very important relationship," said Karimov, according to a spokesman for the South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.

A Korean consortium led by Korea Gas Corp. signed an agreement with Uzbekneftegaz National Holding Co. last year to explore the Surgil gas field near the Aral Sea. The reserve is estimated to hold 96 million tons of liquefied natural gas.

Korea is also participating in Uzbek projects to upgrade Navoiy Airport into a regional logistics hub and build industrial infrastructure in its surrounding area.

Two-way trade between Uzbekistan and Korea reached $1.38 billion last year with Seoul`s exports and imports standing at $1.12 billion and $260 million, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Korea is Uzbekistan`s largest Asian investor with $1.19 billion invested per year.

By Hwang Jang-jin and news reports



(jjhwang@heraldm.com)