1. The 14^th Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum took place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on November 30.

° The Forum was co-hosted by the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Tajik Ministry of Foreign Affairs and attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Chung Eui-yong and his counterparts from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan in their capacities as head delegates.

° The Forum themed “Korea-Central Asia cooperation for post-COVID-19 economic recovery” was joined by some 100 experts from Korea and the five Central Asian countries’ institutes in the fields of forestry, energy, digital matters and healthcare, who explored ways to promote Korea-Central Asia cooperation and possible cooperation projects between the two regions.

2. In the opening remarks delivered in his capacity as the Forum’s co-chair, Foreign Minister Chung stressed that the Central Asian countries are important partners for Korea’s New Northern Policy aimed at peace and shared prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in Eurasia. He went on to commend the Forum, saying that in the course of the dynamic development of Korea-Central Asia relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, the Forum has played a significant role in facilitating continued comprehensive discussions among experts in diverse fields in order to bolster Korea-Central Asia cooperation.

° Foreign Minister Muhriddin, the Forum’s co-chair, took note that Korea and the five Central Asian countries had thoroughly prepared for the 14^th Forum by holding vice foreign ministerial and working-level meetings, voicing hope that the Forum will help continue cooperation with Korea for a sustainable economic growth and the improvement in the quality of the life in Central Asia.

3. In his keynote speech, Foreign Minister Chung mentioned that although Korea-Central Asia relations, which saw a remarkable growth over the past 30 years, are facing unexpected challenges such as climate change and a pandemic, cooperation between the two regions should advance in a way that strikes a balance among three factors -- co-existence with nature, the creation of new growth engines through future technologies, and a people-centered growth -- in order to transform challenges into opportunities.

° The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, calling thawing a threat to Central Asia that is destroying forests and the eco-system and causing socio-economic issues, suggested carrying out Korea-Central Asia joint projects to resolve this issue.

° The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, mentioning the growing importance of digital-based economic development since the outbreak of COVID-19, voiced hope to draw up and carry out Korea-Central Asia digital cooperation programs.

° The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan noted that the relationship built between Korea and Central Asia via the Silk Road long ago is serving as a foundation for the development of Korea-Central Asia relations today, suggesting that the two sides work together in a step-by-step and goal-oriented way.

° The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan expressed hope that the Forum will contribute to responding to climate change in the Aral Sea region and each country drawing up strategies for carbon neutrality.

° The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, commending Korea’s successful e-government system, conveyed hope that the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Kazakhstan Agency for International Development (KazAID) will work together to contribute to the development of information and communications technology (ICT) in Central Asia.

4. The head delegates from the five Central Asian countries shared the view on the visions for Korea-Central Asia cooperation proposed by Foreign Minister Chung -- “co-existence with nature,” “the creation of new growth engines through future technologies” and “a people-centered growth” -- and agreed to advance Korea-Central Asia cooperation in a future-oriented way by fulfilling the three visions for cooperation.

° The head delegates from the five Central Asian countries looked forward to cooperation with Korea during the transition to green and digital economy. Foreign Minister Chung welcomed that Tajikistan conveyed during the Forum willingness to become a member of Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), paving the way for cooperation on environmental issues among the five Central Asian countries through GGGI.

° The Central Asian head delegates voiced hoped that Korea and the landlocked Central Asian countries will carry out a new transport corridor project through a nexus between the former’s New Northern Policy and the latter’s strategy for building transportation and logistics corridors.

° The Central Asian head delegates conveyed hope that, with the year 2022 marking the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and the Central Asian countries, the two sides will hold various cultural events within the frameworks of the New Northern Policy and the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum in order to boost exchanges between the people of the two regions. They also reaffirmed support for the New Northern Policy and the Korean Peninsula peace process.

5. At the closing ceremony of the Forum, the head delegates adopted “a Joint Statement on the Outcome of the 14th Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum” and “the 2022 Work Plan of the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum Secretariat.”  In addition, they agreed to hold the 15^th Forum in Seoul in 2022.

6. The Forum, the first of its kind held after Korea and the Central Asian countries agreed to upgrade the Forum to the foreign ministerial level last year, is seen to have served as an opportunity to share visions for future cooperation between Korea and the five Central Asian countries and to discuss ways to take relations between the two regions to the next level ahead of the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2022.