Yoon: "7 Million Overseas Koreans Are Valuable Assets... Republic of Korea Will Be a Strong Support"

President Yoon Suk-yeol, on a state visit to Uzbekistan, is delivering an encouragement speech at the dinner meeting with compatriots held at the Tashkent Hilton Hotel on the afternoon of the 13th (local time).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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During his state visit to Uzbekistan, President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 13th (local time), "The 7 million overseas Koreans worldwide are a source of pride for the Republic of Korea and a precious asset for all of us."

That evening, President Yoon, together with First Lady Kim Keon-hee, invited about 140 local Koreans in Tashkent to a dinner meeting, saying, "Every time I meet our compatriots during overseas trips, I gain great strength."

President Yoon remarked, "Uzbekistan is especially meaningful for this meeting as it is the country in Central Asia with the largest Korean community. The Koreans who began migrating to Uzbekistan in large numbers in 1937 cultivated barren land into fertile farmland with the characteristic diligence and sincerity of the Korean people. Now, they are active in various fields such as politics, business, culture, and the arts in Uzbekistan, fostering friendship between the two countries."

He continued, "Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, Korean companies have entered various sectors including energy, construction, automobiles, and textiles, expanding the scope and scale of the Korean community. They have also taken the lead in disaster relief efforts for floods, epidemics, and earthquakes locally, strengthening the bonds and friendship between the peoples of both countries. Thanks to the compatriots serving as a bridge, the relationship between the two countries is developing more closely than ever," he emphasized.

President Yoon explained, "Last year, the trade volume between the two countries reached a record high of 2.45 billion dollars, and Korea has established itself as one of Uzbekistan's top five trading partners. Currently, more than 20,000 Uzbek students are learning Korean as a regular subject, and people-to-people exchanges are steadily increasing."

In particular, President Yoon introduced the 'Korea-Central Asia K-Silk Road Cooperation Initiative' and stated, "Tomorrow, I will hold talks with President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan to realize the future development vision of Korea and Central Asia, while discussing ways to further solidify the special strategic partnership between our two countries."

He also said, "We will ensure that tangible results are produced in core cooperation areas such as infrastructure, energy, and supply chain collaboration, as well as in various fields including development cooperation, healthcare, environment, and education, so that the peoples of both countries can feel the benefits."

President Yoon added, "Through the Overseas Koreans Office, we will connect the Korean community and the homeland more closely, and the Republic of Korea will be a strong support so that compatriots can succeed more successfully in local societies."

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee, on a state visit to Uzbekistan, are smiling and applauding at the dinner meeting with compatriots held at the Tashkent Hilton Hotel on the afternoon of the 13th (local time).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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On the same day, Kang Chang-seok, president of the Uzbekistan Korean Association, who gave a welcoming speech as a representative of the Korean community, said, "Uzbekistan is a special place where the Korean community develops together with the Koryo-saram (ethnic Koreans in Central Asia). As the status of the Republic of Korea has risen, the local Korean community has been able to become a more exemplary community. Each member of this community takes pride in being a private diplomat and lives diligently."

Park Viktor, president of the Koryo Cultural Association, gave a toast, saying, "This presidential visit once again made me feel that Korea and Uzbekistan share a special strategic partnership. We will continue to strive so that the next generation of Koryo-saram can preserve their Korean identity and grow up healthily."

Kim Eun-jung, principal of the Tashkent Korean Kindergarten, expressed, "Under the motto of becoming proud children of the Republic of Korea, we are focusing on Korean language education and character education. We will continue to work hard to nurture the identity of being Korean nationals among the children of the Korean community."

The meeting concluded with a performance of the Seoljanggu dance by Lee Jung-hyun, a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 3 Namsadang Nori, and the song "My Homeland Korea" by Galina, a distinguished singer of Uzbekistan. President Yoon and the First Lady encouraged the performers by taking photos with them.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan warmly welcomed President Yoon's state visit by displaying his photos and the phrase "Wishing eternal friendship between the peoples of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea" on over 80 electronic billboards throughout the streets of Tashkent, and by hanging Taegeukgi flags on street lamps across the city.

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