1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 27, met with Deputy Prime Minister in charge of investments and foreign trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Ganiev, who was on a visit to the Republic of Korea for the 2^nd ROK-Uzbekistan meeting of deputy prime ministers for economic affairs. In the meeting, the Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister exchanged views on the way forward for the ROK-Uzbekistan relations.

2. Minister Kang stressed that as could be seen from President Moon Jae-in and Uzbek President Mirziyoyev sharing similar foreign policies and visions for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in Central Asia, the two countries were like-minded in many aspects and maintaining mutually beneficial partnership.

° The Minister added that, in particular, the ROK and Uzbekistan had a great potential for taking their bilateral relations to the next level through a harmonious implementation of the former country’s New Northern Policy, which calls for bolstering economic cooperation with the Eurasian countries, and the latter’s economic reform and business friendly policy.

3. Deputy Prime Minister Ganiev noted with appreciation that bilateral economic cooperation had tangibly been growing since President Mirziyoyev’s state visit to the ROK in November 2017. He expressed hope to see the scope of bilateral cooperation broaden to include such areas as information and communications technology (ICT), education, transportation and energy infrastructure, and high value-added industries.

° The Deputy Prime Minister, bringing attention to the Uzbek government’s policies for economic liberation, reform and opening-up, and the improvement of the business environment, voiced hope that many Korean enterprises would invest in Uzbekistan and thereby help to further step up economic cooperation between the two countries.

4. Minister Kang extended appreciation to the Uzbek government for its consistent support for the ROK government’s foreign policies, including those designed for the achievement of peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and the promotion of the ROK-Central Asia cooperative ties. She went on to ask the Uzbek government to cooperate actively in efforts to bolster comprehensive cooperation between the ROK and Central Asia.

° Deputy Prime Minister Ganiev explained that Central Asia was a region with abundant resources and a population of over 70 million, hence a high market value. Bringing attention to the recent, rapid increases in trade, investment and migration of human resources in Central Asia, he asked for investment in this integrated market.

5. Deputy Prime Minister Ganiev’s visit to the ROK has begun with the meeting with Minister Kang. He will also attend the second ROK-Uzbekistan meeting of deputy prime ministers for economic affairs and a meeting with Korean entrepreneurs, leaving the country on March 29.