Seoul: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan agreed Wednesday to establish a comprehensive partnership between their countries, with the South Korean leader expressing hope the new partnership will help expand the countries’ cooperation in various areas, including critical minerals. The agreement to upgrade the countries’ relationship came in a bilateral summit at Cheong Wa Dae, ahead of the inaugural South Korea-Central Asia Summit to be held later Wednesday that will also be attended by the heads of state of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
According to Yonhap News Agency, President Lee highlighted the continuous development of friendly cooperation between South Korea and Tajikistan since establishing diplomatic relations in 1992. He remarked on the significance of establishing a comprehensive partnership on the occasion of President Rahmon’s visit. Lee underscored Tajikistan’s rich mineral resources and economic growth potential, pledging South Korea’s proactive cooperation for Tajikistan’s economic development as a trustworthy partner.
President Rahmon emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation with South Korea, highlighting the long history of solidarity and friendship between the two countries. He stressed the necessity of creating legal and institutional frameworks to elevate bilateral cooperation to the level of the new partnership. Rahmon also noted that the latest dialogue serves as an important opportunity to enhance diplomacy and political trust between the nations.