The first summit between the Republic of Korea and the Central Asian countries demonstrated a qualitative shift in the economic agenda between Seoul and the region's states. Whereas cooperation was previously based on trade, individual investment projects, and infrastructure partnership, the focus is now shifting to critical minerals, industrial interaction, energy, digital technologies, and the formation of new supply chains.
For South Korea, this goes beyond simply expanding its presence in a new market. Since the country's economy depends on stable access to imported raw materials while being home to large industrial and technological companies, Central Asia acquires strategic importance.
The economic logic of South Korea's policy is quite clear: Seoul is interested in diversifying raw material sources, reducing dependence on single suppliers, and increasing the resilience of its own production cycles. Central Asia possesses several advantages in this regard.
The region has significant reserves of uranium, copper, chromium, zinc, rare earth elements, and other strategically important resources. Simultaneously, Central Asian states aim to develop raw material processing, industrial production, and technological capabilities. Thus, the interests of both sides are gradually beginning to converge.
Central Asia offers resources, energy, growing markets, and a favorable geographical location. In turn, South Korea provides technology, industrial equipment, investment capital, and access to global production networks. This combination can form the basis for a new stage of cooperation.
Critical minerals serve as the most vivid example of this shift. South Korea views access to strategic raw materials as an integral element of its economic security, as such materials are necessary for the production of batteries, semiconductors, electronics, electric vehicles, energy equipment, and other high-tech products.
It is crucial for Seoul not only to acquire raw materials but also to create more reliable supply and processing chains for them. In September 2026, South Korea held the first joint meeting of industry ministers with all five Central Asian countries, where industrial cooperation, supply chains, and critical minerals were the central focus. This is an important signal indicating a gradual transition of economic relations from individual commercial projects to the institutional level of economic security.
The greatest prospects open up for Kazakhstan. This country possesses a significant mineral and raw material base, and it also has the most developed transport infrastructure and substantial industrial potential in Central Asia. However, it is important for Kazakhstan to avoid repeating the traditional model of cooperation where the foreign partner gains access to raw materials, and most of the added value is created outside the country.
Investment from the Korean side can be particularly significant if it is linked to deep processing, localization of production, technology transfer, and specialist training. The most promising model looks like this: Kazakhstan's raw materials $ ightarrow$ Korean technology $ ightarrow$ processing in Kazakhstan $ ightarrow$ production of high value-added goods $ ightarrow$ export to external markets. Implementing this model will allow Kazakhstan to gain significantly more than just additional investments in the extraction sector.
Energy is becoming another important element of cooperation. On September 15, Kazakhstan and South Korea signed a memorandum of cooperation on the peaceful use of nuclear energy. This field requires special attention, as Kazakhstan is one of the world's largest uranium producers, while South Korea has significant experience in the construction and operation of nuclear facilities. The interests of the two countries can be complementary in this area: Kazakhstan has the resource base and is interested in developing its energy infrastructure, while South Korea seeks to promote its technologies and expertise. Consequently, nuclear energy could potentially become one of the largest long-term areas of bilateral interaction.
If Kazakhstan is primarily of interest to South Korea in terms of resources and energy and occupies a central place in the new economic agenda, Uzbekistan remains on the periphery compared to other countries in the region. Uzbekistan possesses a different set of advantages: a large domestic market, a solid industrial base, labor force, and opportunities for manufacturing placement. Therefore, Korea's strategy in Uzbekistan is increasingly focusing on localizing industrial production.
For Seoul, this provides an opportunity to access a growing market by using Uzbekistan as a production base. For Tashkent, the benefit lies in attracting not only capital but also modern technologies, equipment, and management experience. Nevertheless, despite these advantages, Uzbekistan has not yet taken center stage in South Korea's policy in Central Asia. Main negotiations on critical minerals, industrial cooperation, and energy are predominantly conducted with Kazakhstan, while the Uzbek direction remains more supportive and supplementary.
As a result, an economic division of roles is gradually forming in the region: Kazakhstan may act as a major supplier of resources and energy, Uzbekistan as the second echelon of industrial and production base, and other Central Asian countries may participate in specific segments of regional supply chains.
Another trend is the gradual expansion of cooperation beyond traditional industry. Artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and production automation are becoming independent areas of South Korea's policy in Central Asia. This is especially important for the region's countries, as the use of Korean technologies can allow them to modernize enterprises without having to go through the entire process of technological development themselves.
However, there is also the risk of dependency. If Central Asia only purchases ready-made digital solutions without developing its own specialists, software products, and research base, technological cooperation may lead not to the creation of its own digital economy, but to a new form of technological dependence. Therefore, technology transfer is no less important than the volume of investment.
The growing economic interaction of South Korea occurs against the backdrop of China's already massive presence. Beijing remains the largest economic partner for many Central Asian countries and possesses significant advantages in trade, infrastructure, energy, and the extractive sector. However, the Korean model is different.
China can offer Central Asia large-scale infrastructure financing and access to a huge consumer market. South Korea, on the other hand, has particularly strong positions in sectors such as automotive manufacturing, electronics, batteries, shipbuilding, energy, industrial automation, and digital technologies. Thus, the emergence of another major partner in technology and investment creates an opportunity for Central Asian countries to diversify their foreign economic ties. This is particularly relevant for Kazakhstan.
Competition among various external partners can be used not as a geopolitical choice of one side over another, but as a tool to ensure better conditions for national economies.
Nevertheless, an increase in Korean investment itself does not guarantee the structural modernization of Central Asian economies. The central question is where the added value will be created. If the region's countries export concentrates and raw materials and then import finished batteries, electronic components, equipment, and technologies, the economic model will fundamentally remain unchanged.
However, if the region's countries can establish processing capacities, industrial clusters, research centers, and joint production enterprises, cooperation with South Korea can become a factor of structural transformation. This is why negotiations on critical minerals should be viewed more broadly than just supply agreements. For Kazakhstan, the optimal outcome would be the creation of a complete or at least a substantial part of the value chain within the country.
The first summit between Central Asia and the Republic of Korea reflects a broader process. Central Asia is gradually transforming from a peripheral direction in the foreign economic policy of great powers into an independent node in global supply chains. China is interested in the region as a source of resources, a market, and a transit territory. The European Union is increasing its focus on critical minerals, transport routes, and investments. South Korea is betting on combining the region's resource base with its own industrial and technological capabilities.
This creates a rare opportunity for Central Asia. Competition among external partners can become a source of economic modernization provided that the region's countries compete not for investments themselves, but for investments that create long-term added value within national economies. In this context, interaction with South Korea is interesting not only as another channel for attracting capital; it can become part of a broader strategy for Central Asia's transition from exporting raw materials to participating in the production of next-generation technologies and goods. The economic outcome of the current rapprochement between the region and South Korea will depend on the ability of Central Asian countries to utilize this opportunity, rather than simply accepting new investment projects.
The Fergana Region and the Special Industrial Zone of Sonnam, Republic of Korea, concluded a memorandum of cooperation. This agreement was reached during a working trip of a regional delegation from the Fergana Region to South Korea, led by the Governor of the Fergana Region, Khayrullo Bozorov.
This memorandum provides for the expansion of industrial interaction, the attraction of modern technologies, the joint implementation of investment projects, and the strengthening of direct ties between entrepreneurs from both regions.
Furthermore, business representatives from the Fergana Region signed separate memorandums of cooperation with more than ten companies operating in the Sonnam Special Industrial Zone.
During the visit, the delegation familiarized itself with the exhibition of products and innovative developments of companies based in the industrial zone. Among the presented solutions were products in the fields of cosmetics, medicine, automotive engineering, artificial intelligence, educational technologies, and logistics.
In particular, Fireworks and Daon Medical demonstrated cosmetic products and modern medical devices, respectively. AI OnTech presented technological solutions, Comfy showcased footwear, and BL Tech demonstrated automotive cameras and technical developments. Romazing platforms for language learning using AI and logistics solutions from Azetek were also presented.
The exhibition facilitated direct business meetings (B2B) between entrepreneurs from the Fergana Region and representatives of South Korean businesses. The parties discussed issues of production partnership, exchange of experience and technologies, as well as access to the markets of both countries and the launch of new investment initiatives.
Following the meetings, agreements were reached with a number of South Korean companies on the implementation of joint projects in the Fergana Region in various fields.
Uzbekistan and South Korea have reached an agreement to expand interaction in the fields of higher education, science, and academic exchange.
The new agreements were concluded at the first Uzbek-Korean forum on interregional cooperation, which took place in Seoul on September 11.
At this forum, Professor Rustam Tozhiev, Rector of Fergana State Technical University, presented a report titled 'Uzbekistan–Korea: Current Status and Prospects.' In his presentation, he highlighted the university's cooperation with leading educational institutions in South Korea.
In particular, agreements were signed with SeoulTech to implement joint projects in the areas of artificial intelligence, smart city, robotics, and cybersecurity.
These agreements also provide for the participation of five teachers and professors from South Korea at Fergana State Technical University, as well as the dispatch of ten teachers and professors to South Korea for internships and two researchers for scientific research internships.
Furthermore, new areas of cooperation with the campus of Yonsei University Mirae were discussed, including student exchange, the launch of joint master's and doctoral programs, and conducting research.
An initiative was put forward to establish a Center for Korean Language and Culture at Fergana State Technical University.
The forum also led to agreements on establishing partnerships with the Sonnam Special Industrial Zone, one of South Korea's major high-tech clusters.
In conclusion, it was noted that the reached agreements are aimed at further developing cooperation between Uzbekistan and South Korea in the field of higher education, science, and academic exchange.
The first summit between Central Asian countries and the Republic of Korea, to be held in Seoul, is intended to give the C5+1 format a more substantial economic dimension. For Uzbekistan, this new regional structure opens up opportunities to expand industrial interaction with South Korea in areas such as technology, infrastructure, critical minerals, energy, human resource training, and attracting private capital.
One of the key elements of the new agenda will be the creation of a special advisory mechanism for ministers of industry. This mechanism should promote regular sectoral dialogue, identify joint initiatives, and form a list of priority projects. This approach allows for linking the industrial priorities of Central Asian countries with the technological and investment capabilities of South Korea through specific production chains, integrating technology, infrastructure, financing, and markets within joint industrial projects.
For Uzbekistan, bilateral partnership with South Korea remains the foundation of this cooperation. Since 2019, relations between Tashkent and Seoul have held the status of a special strategic partnership. The total volume of direct Korean investments in the Uzbek economy has exceeded 8 billion US dollars, and bilateral trade reached nearly 1 billion US dollars in the first half of this year, showing an increase of 11.5%.
Joint centers already operate in the country in the sectors of textiles, rare earth metals and alloys, agricultural machinery, and e-government. Cooperation is also developing in chemical technologies and construction. This accumulated foundation creates prerequisites for further development of processing, production localization, technology modernization, and the output of higher value-added products. The regional format also expands potential links between Central Asian enterprises and Korean companies.
Critical minerals represent another area of cooperation, covering geological exploration, processing, refining, and the creation of high-tech production facilities. Thus, the mineral and raw material base of Central Asia can become the basis for further technological ties and the development of new production capacities.
An Uzbek-Korean Scientific and Technical Center for Rare Earth Metals and Alloys is already operating in Uzbekistan. Its potential supports cooperation in materials science, processing technologies, research, and specialist training.
More complex production processes require significant infrastructural resources. Within the C5+1 agenda, this area includes energy, industrial complexes, transport and logistics, urban infrastructure, as well as the planning, construction, modernization, and operation of large facilities.
Financial support for large-scale projects is provided, in particular, by the cooperation program between Uzbekistan and the Economic Development and Cooperation Fund of the Republic of Korea for the period 2024–2027, amounting to 2 billion US dollars. A new portfolio of initiatives is being developed in parallel, and mechanisms for financing without state guarantees and public-private partnership projects are being considered.
The expansion of financial instruments opens up additional opportunities for attracting private capital and establishing long-term partnerships between companies, which is particularly important for industrial and infrastructure projects with long investment cycles.
Training qualified personnel is another priority. Four vocational education centers, established with the participation of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), operate in Tashkent, Fergana, Shahrisabz, and Samarkand. Another center is under construction in Urgench.
Further development of industrial cooperation will require more active participation from the corporate sector, financial institutions, and research organizations. It is at this level that technologies and accumulated knowledge can be transformed into new production capacities, investment decisions, and commercial products.
Creating a list of priority projects should ensure the practical advancement of initiatives between meetings of the industrial mechanism. Such a tool will allow promising directions to be linked with specific partners and sources of financing.
For Uzbekistan, the C5+1 format provides an opportunity to elevate existing cooperation with South Korea to a regional level. Investments, technology centers, financial programs, specialist training, and experience in implementing complex projects can form the basis for new production links between Central Asian countries and Korean business.
Thus, for Uzbekistan, the industrial agenda of the Seoul Summit is connected with deepening processing, technological localization, creating new production capacities, and expanding the export of finished products. The accumulated Uzbek-Korean experience becomes one element of the emerging C5+1 industrial architecture.
