BUSAN– Top diplomats of South Korea and five Central Asian nations gathered at a regional forum in the southern port city of Busan on Tuesday to explore ways of boosting economic and security cooperation, as the two sides commemorate the 30th anniversary of forging diplomatic relations.
Seoul’s Foreign Minister Park Jin stressed the Central Asian nations are important partners in diverse fields, including energy and infrastructure, as he attended the 15th Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum, a dialogue platform launched in 2007 to strengthen cooperation in economic, cultural and other areas.
“This year marks 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties with the five Central Asian nations in 1992, and our relations have developed rapidly based on a mutually beneficial economic structure and cultural similarities,” Park said during his congratulatory speech.
He also requested support for South Korea’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan.
“Busan is a city that symbolizes freedom, peace and prosperity and has rich experience in hosting various international events, including the APEC and ASEAN summits,” he said. “We hope to see Central Asia’s support and encouragement toward our efforts.”
In his keynote speech, Park also voiced concerns over North Korea’s recent escalation of provocations and urged the reclusive country to “respond positively” to President Yoon Suk-yeol’s “audacious” offer to help rebuild its economy in return for denuclearization steps.
“We’d like to express our appreciation to the foreign ministers of Central Asia joining us here today for their support toward the ‘audacious initiative,'” he said.
During the forum, diplomats and experts from the participating nations discussed how to step up cooperation in the energy, digital technology, economic security, tourism and health care sectors.
This year’s forum was attended by senior officials from Central Asian countries, including the top diplomats of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.
Later in the day, Park held separate talks with his counterparts from four Central Asian nations to discuss the geopolitical situation and practical ways to boost cooperation among them, according to the ministry.
Source: Yonhap News Agency