The top diplomats of South Korea and Uzbekistan plan to holds talks next week to discuss cooperation in areas of infrastructure, supply chains and health care, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday.
Foreign Minister Park Jin and his Uzbek counterpart, Bakhtiyor Saidov, plan to hold the two countries' first-ever bilateral foreign ministerial strategic dialogue in Seoul on Monday, Lim Soo-suk, spokesperson for the ministry, told a regular press briefing.
The ministerial-level dialogue was newly established this year to allow comprehensive discussions on key issues between the two countries, Lim said.
During the dialogue, Park is expected to discuss bilateral relations, transportation, infrastructure, supply chains and health care among others. He will also seek support from the Uzbekistan side regarding South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo.
Park will also attend a South Korea-Uzbekistan business forum on Tuesday, review the state of economic cooperation and provide encouragement to businesses from both countries.
Uzbekistan is home to some 180,000 ethnic Korean residents, the largest among those living in Central Asian countries, and maintains a special strategic partnership with South Korea.
Source: Yonhap News Agency