Korea, Uzbekistan pledge deeper cultural ties

Korea and Uzbekistan agreed Tuesday to deepen cooperation in culture and the arts, with library development, language education and a possible year of cultural exchange among the ideas discussed. Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young met Uzbekistan Culture Minister Ozodbek Nazarbekov in Seoul on the sidelines of the Korea-Central Asia Summit. The two sides also discussed a joint working committee, a Friendship Library project and expanding King Sejong Institute locations. Their talks followed a tourism cooperation memorandum signed on Sept. 14.

The meeting took place at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul on the sidelines of the Korea-Central Asia Summit.

Nazarbekov said Uzbekistan wanted Korea’s interest and cooperation in international development projects involving libraries.

Chae said Uzbekistan is home to a large ethnic Korean community and is an important partner for Korea.

The ministry said the cultural cooperation discussions would include possible projects in libraries, cultural exchange and Korean-language education.

The ministry said the Sept. 14 tourism cooperation memorandum is meant to strengthen practical cooperation following the two countries’ 2012 tourism cooperation agreement.

Published Sep 15, 2026 2:16 pm KST

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Chae Hwi-young, right, meets Uzbekistan Culture Minister Ozodbek Nazarbekov at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Korea and Uzbekistan agreed Tuesday to deepen cooperation across culture and the arts, with library development, language education and a possible year of cultural exchange among initiatives under discussion.

Chae Hwi-young, Korea’s culture minister, met with Uzbekistan Culture Minister Ozodbek Nazarbekov at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul on Tuesday morning on the sidelines of the Korea-Central Asia Summit.

Nazarbekov said Uzbekistan, where the number of people reading has been growing, was seeking Korea’s interest and cooperation in international development projects involving libraries.

He also proposed creating a joint working committee to expand cooperation across cultural fields between the two countries.

Chae said Uzbekistan, home to a large ethnic Korean community, was an important partner for Korea and expressed hope that the summit would help broaden cultural exchanges.

Chae said possible areas of cooperation included designating a mutual year of cultural exchange, developing a Friendship Library project and expanding King Sejong Institute locations to promote Korean-language education.

The meeting came one day after Korea and Uzbekistan signed a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation on Sept. 14 during the summit.

The ministry said Tuesday that the agreement is intended to strengthen practical cooperation between the two countries following their 2012 tourism cooperation agreement.

The ministry said discussions on cultural cooperation would include possible projects in libraries, cultural exchange and Korean-language education.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

韩国和乌兹别克斯坦周二同意深化文化艺术领域的合作，双方讨论了包括图书馆建设、语言教育以及开展为期一年的文化交流等议题。韩国文化部长蔡辉映在首尔出席中亚峰会期间会见了乌兹别克斯坦文化部长奥佐德别克·纳扎尔别科夫。双方还讨论了成立联合工作委员会、友谊图书馆项目以及扩大世宗王研究院的办学规模等事宜。此次会谈是在9月14日双方签署旅游合作备忘录之后进行的。

会议在首尔国立现代美术馆举行，是韩国-中亚峰会期间的一次活动。

纳扎尔别科夫表示，乌兹别克斯坦希望韩国对涉及图书馆的国际发展项目表现出兴趣并与之合作。

蔡先生表示，乌兹别克斯坦拥有庞大的朝鲜族人口，是韩国的重要合作伙伴。

该部表示，文化合作讨论将包括图书馆、文化交流和韩语教育等领域的潜在项目。

该部表示，9月14日签署的旅游合作备忘录旨在加强两国在2012年签署旅游合作协议之后的务实合作。

发布于2026年9月15日下午2:16（韩国标准时间）

文化体育观光部长官蔡辉英（右）周二在首尔国立现代美术馆会见乌兹别克斯坦文化部长奥佐德别克·纳扎尔别科夫。图片由文化体育观光部提供。

韩国和乌兹别克斯坦周二同意深化在文化和艺术领域的合作，正在讨论的举措包括图书馆建设、语言教育以及可能开展为期一年的文化交流。

周二上午，在韩国-中亚峰会期间，韩国文化部长蔡辉荣在首尔国立现代美术馆会见了乌兹别克斯坦文化部长奥佐德别克·纳扎尔别科夫。

纳扎尔别科夫表示，乌兹别克斯坦的阅读人数一直在增长，该国正在寻求韩国在涉及图书馆的国际发展项目中的兴趣与合作。

他还提议成立一个联合工作委员会，以扩大两国在文化领域的合作。

蔡先生表示，乌兹别克斯坦是韩国的重要合作伙伴，拥有庞大的朝鲜族人口，他希望此次峰会能够帮助扩大文化交流。

蔡先生表示，可能的合作领域包括指定一个相互文化交流年、发展友谊图书馆项目以及扩大世宗学堂的校址以促进韩语教育。

此次会晤是在韩国和乌兹别克斯坦于9月14日峰会期间签署旅游合作谅解备忘录的第二天举行的。

该部周二表示，该协议旨在继两国于 2012 年签署旅游合作协议之后，加强两国之间的务实合作。

该部表示，文化合作方面的讨论将包括图书馆、文化交流和韩语教育等方面的潜在项目。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。