1. Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Kim Gunn hosted the first Korea-Central Asia High Level Officials' Meeting on November 19 in preparation for the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum, following his virtual bilateral meetings with five Central Asian countries in November.

o In the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between the Republic of Korea and Central Asia on the New Northern Policy and conducted a final review of the status of preparations for the 13^th Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum scheduled for November 25.

2. The High Level Officials' Meeting was arranged for the first time this year as countries which participated in the 12^th Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum last year (Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan) agreed to hold the meeting in order to make more substantial preparations for the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum that has taken root as a successful multilateral forum between the ROK and Central Asia since 2007.

3. The participants noted with appreciation that even amid the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic this year, the ROK and five Central Asian countries have continued face-to-face and virtual exchanges and cooperation. In particular, they shared the view that the two sides have been further reinforcing mutually-beneficial cooperation through the New Northern Policy, as cooperative channels in various areas including political and economic affairs and health have been vitalized since the ROK President’s visits to three Central Asian countries and the ROK Prime Minister’s visits to two Central Asian countries last year.

4. Deputy Minister Kim said that the ROK government has declared this year as the “Year of New Northern Cooperation” and has been expanding cooperation with five Central Asian countries. He also expressed hope that at the 13^th Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum to be held in Seoul on November 25 at the upgraded foreign ministerial level, the public and private sectors from the two sides would hold useful discussions on issues of common interest, including public health, remote learning, standardization, and environment.

o The Central Asian side noted that cooperation with the ROK in health and medical care and information and communications has been useful in responding to COVID-19, and shared the view that since its launch in 2007, the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum has taken root as an effective framework for multilateral cooperation where the private sector and government officials discuss ways of substantive cooperation.

5. The Central Asian side stated that the Korea-Central Asia High Level Officials' Meeting and five virtual bilateral meetings have been of great help in making more substantial preparations for the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum, and added that they will continue efforts for further development of the Forum.

6. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will hold the 13^th Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum in Seoul on November 25, with foreign ministers of Central Asian countries in attendance. The participants in the Forum will discuss ways to continue to step up the ROK-Central Asia cooperation even amid the COVID-19 situation.