Korea, Central Asia to chart shared path at inaugural summit

Korea and five Central Asian countries will convene their inaugural summit in Seoul on Wednesday, marking the first time the two sides engage at a leadership level. This marks a significant step in their nearly two-decade-long institutional cooperation, as both parties aim to deepen ties in critical areas such as minerals, supply chains, and Eurasian connectivity.

The summit, under the theme "Walking Together Toward the Future: Partnership for Trust and Prosperity," will bring together six leaders - Korean President Lee Jae Myung alongside Kazakhstan's Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyzstan's Sadyr Japarov, Tajikistan's Emomali Rahmon, Turkmenistan's Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and Uzbekistan's Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

They are anticipated to endorse a joint Seoul Declaration, which will lay out a broader framework for their collaborative efforts. The timing of this summit is particularly noteworthy, as Central Asia has garnered increasing global attention due to its vast energy reserves, mineral wealth, and strategic location at the junction of major trade routes.

This has led to a surge in diplomatic engagement from the world's leading economies in recent years, culminating in a novel diplomatic paradigm.