1. Minister of Foreign Affairs Chung Eui-yong talked over the phone with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov on March 29 and exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, including Korea-Uzbekistan bilateral relations, substantive cooperation, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, and global issues.

2. The two Foreign Ministers, appreciating that the two countries have been actively carrying out summit diplomacy including the virtual summit in January 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, agreed to work closely together including in pursuing in earnest negotiations over the Korea-Uzbekistan Agreement for Sustainable Trade and Economic Partnership (STEP) and preparing events to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2022.

° Foreign Minister Chung, stressing that Uzbekistan is a major partner for cooperation on Korea’s New Northern Policy, asked for Uzbekistan’s participation at the highest level in the “2021 P4G Seoul Summit” to take place in a virtual format at the end of this May.

° Foreign Minister Kamilov, saying that the Uzbek government fully supports the New Northern Policy, voiced hope that Korea and Uzbekistan would work together in a way that the Uzbek policy for promoting the connectivity between Central Asia and South Asia contributes to implementing Korea’s New Southern Policy as well.

° The two Foreign Ministers also agreed to cooperate so that Uzbek President Mirziyoyev’s visit to Korea can be arranged and take place as soon as possible.

3. Foreign Minister Kamilov expressed strong support for the Korean government’s efforts to achieve complete denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and improve inter-Korean relations. Foreign Minister Chung asked for the Uzbek government’s continued attention to and cooperation for progress in the Korean Peninsula peace process.