Yoon Holds Summit with President of Kyrgyz Republic... Establishes Comprehensive Partnership

President Sadyr Japarov's Visit to Korea Until the 4th
Trade, Energy, Climate Change Response, ICT Cooperation
Establishing Momentum for Implementing the 'K-Silk Road Cooperation Initiative'

President Yoon Suk-yeol is shaking hands with Sadyr Japarov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, at the Korea-Kyrgyz summit held on the 3rd at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 3rd, President Yoon Suk-yeol held a summit meeting with Sadyr Japarov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, who is making an official visit to Korea, and established a 'Comprehensive Partnership' between the two countries 32 years after diplomatic relations were established.

President Yoon and President Japarov adopted the 'Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Partnership' at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the same day, and the presidential office announced that they agreed to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields such as trade and investment, energy, development cooperation, climate change response, information and communication technology (ICT), education, and personnel administration.

The two countries agreed to prepare a roadmap to systematically develop the comprehensive partnership through the 'Cooperation Program between Ministries of Foreign Affairs' from 2025 to 2026. President Yoon confirmed President Japarov's support for hosting the first-ever 'Korea-Central Asia Summit' in Korea next year, aiming to create momentum for implementing the 'Korea-Central Asia K-Silk Road Cooperation Initiative' by strengthening relations with Kyrgyzstan. The K-Silk Road is a plan to create a new cooperation model by linking Korea's innovative capabilities with Central Asia's abundant resources and development potential.

Next Year, Korea to Host the 'Korea-Central Asia Summit'

First, the two countries will strengthen the institutional foundation for economic cooperation, expand trade and investment through building public-private networks, and create a favorable environment for Korean companies to enter the market. They plan to expand economic cooperation through signing a government-level 'Trade and Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)' and cooperation documents between trade and investment promotion agencies of both countries.

They will also revise the existing agreement to meet the latest international standards by signing the 'Protocol to Amend the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement.' On the 4th, the 'Korea-Kyrgyzstan Investment Dialogue' will be held at Lotte Hotel Seoul to support Korean companies in discovering business items and entering the Kyrgyzstan market.

They also agreed to strengthen practical cooperation in various fields. Through signing government-level MOUs on cooperation in the energy sector and critical minerals, they will enhance cooperation with Kyrgyzstan, a country rich in water resources and minerals, in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and supply chain sectors.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is holding a Korea-Kyrgyzstan summit with Sadyr Japarov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic, at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 3rd. Photo by Yonhap News

Kyrgyzstan, a key partner country for Korea's Official Development Assistance (ODA), will establish an institutional foundation for expanding concessional aid through new agreements and cooperate in responding to the climate crisis. They will also create an environment for Korean companies to secure eco-friendly infrastructure projects such as small hydropower plant construction in Kyrgyzstan.

Through MOUs between Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT and Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Digital Development, cooperation in digital fields such as 5G communication, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) will be expanded. They also agreed to activate human exchanges between the two countries by strengthening cooperation in education and personnel administration.

Confirmation of Kyrgyzstan's Support for North Korea Policy

Furthermore, they secured Kyrgyzstan's support for a free, peaceful, and prosperous unified Korean Peninsula and confirmed Kyrgyzstan's support for the Korean government's 'August 15 Unification Doctrine' and 'Bold Initiative.' In particular, the two leaders confirmed that North Korea's complete denuclearization contributes to peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also globally, and urged North Korea to comply with its obligations under the UN Charter and Security Council resolutions.

The Kyrgyz Republic, located in Central Asia, established diplomatic relations with Korea in 1992. This visit by the President of Kyrgyzstan is the first in 11 years since 2013, and President Japarov will stay in Korea until the 4th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.