Korea, Central Asia to chart shared path at inaugural summit

Korea and five Central Asian nations are set to hold their first-ever summit in Seoul on Wednesday, elevating nearly two decades of cooperation to the leadership level. President Lee Jae Myung will host the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and they are expected to adopt a joint Seoul Declaration. The talks center on critical minerals, supply chains and Eurasian connectivity.

The Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum was launched in 2007, gained a permanent secretariat in 2017 and was upgraded to a foreign minister-level mechanism in 2020.

The summit is the only multilateral leaders’ meeting hosted by Korea this year.

Total trade volume between Korea and Central Asia rose 90 percent from 2021 to reach $10 billion in 2025.

Annual Korean investment into Central Asia increased 69 percent over the same period to $117 million.

Central Asia is home to some 310,000 Koryoin, and about 150,000 Central Asian students and workers now live in Korea.

Published Sep 16, 2026 12:02 am KST

Updated Sep 16, 2026 7:54 am KST

Chung Eui-hae, center, head of the Preparatory Office for the first Korea-Central Asia Summit, speaks during the first Senior Officials' Meeting with vice foreign ministers from five Central Asian countries at the foreign ministry headquarters, April 10. The inaugural summit between Korea and five Central Asian countries is scheduled to be held Wednesday in Seoul, where President Lee Jae Myung and his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will discuss the shared agenda. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The logo for the inaugural Korea-Central Asia Summit / Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Korea and five Central Asian nations are set to hold their first-ever summit in Seoul on Wednesday, elevating nearly two decades of institutional cooperation to the leadership level as both sides seek closer ties in critical minerals, supply chains and Eurasian connectivity.

Korean President Lee Jae Myung will host Kazakhstan's Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyzstan's Sadyr Japarov, Tajikistan's Emomali Rahmon, Turkmenistan's Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbekistan's Shavkat Mirziyoyev for the meeting under the slogan “Walking Together Toward the Future: Partnership for Trust and Prosperity.” The six leaders are expected to adopt a joint Seoul Declaration outlining an expanded framework for cooperation.

Why Central Asia matters now

The summit comes at a time of intensifying global interest in Central Asia. With a combined population of some 80 million, the region's energy reserves, mineral wealth and position at the crossroads of major continental trade routes have drawn a wave of summit-level diplomacy from the world's largest economies in recent years. The result is a new diplomatic norm known as the Central Asia Plus, or C5+1 format, in which the five Central Asian states engage with an outside partner at the summit level, with multiple such frameworks now running in parallel.

Korea’s engagement, however, predates the recent rush of summit diplomacy. The Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum was launched in 2007, gained a permanent secretariat in 2017 and was upgraded to a foreign minister-level mechanism in 2020. The presidential summit is the culmination of that progression and the only multilateral leaders' meeting hosted by Korea this year.

"Korea recognized early on the need to engage Central Asia not as five separate counterparts but as a single region, and the partnership has been building toward this moment since the forum's launch in 2007," said Nam Jin, director-general for Northeast and Central Asian Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

With shared priorities — supply chains, connectivity and climate change — outgrowing the scope of ministerial talks, both sides reached a consensus that the partnership needed to move to the highest level.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, fourth from right, and Chung Eui-hae, second from left, head of the Preparatory Office for the first Korea-Central Asia Summit, pose with ambassadors to Korea from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, during the launch ceremony of the preparatory office at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul, March 16. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

From resources to industrial partnerships

Central Asia sits on vast energy and mineral reserves that are drawing global attention as supply chains shift. Kazakhstan is a major crude oil producer and the world's largest supplier of uranium. Turkmenistan holds some of the world's largest natural gas deposits, while Uzbekistan is a significant source of molybdenum. Kazakhstan approved a comprehensive development plan for rare metals and rare earth elements for 2024-28, while Kyrgyzstan last year unveiled its critical minerals development program through 2030.

What makes the region increasingly important to Korea is not simply access to raw materials. Central Asian governments are seeking to capture more value from their resources by expanding into processing, refining and advanced manufacturing rather than relying primarily on extraction.

Countries across the region are designating priority sectors to establish industrial hubs and seeking foreign investment and partnerships with international institutions and foreign companies, while pursuing state-led digitalization projects to boost productivity.

At the same time, to address aging Soviet-era infrastructure, Central Asian countries are working to expand and modernize key transport, logistics and energy networks. In particular, the governments are channeling major investments into energy grids alongside strategic transport and trade corridors connecting Asia and Europe.

For Central Asian leaders, the appeal of Korean partnership lies in its track record: rapid industrialization driven by technology transfer, workforce development and export-oriented manufacturing — a path several of them are trying to replicate.

A participant attends a promotional event titled "Meet through Silk Road" held at Cheonggye Plaza in Seoul, Aug. 26, ahead of the first-ever Korea-Central Asia Summit. Yonhap

Economic ties between Korea and Central Asia have grown sharply in recent years. Total trade volume rose 90 percent compared with 2021, reaching $10 billion in 2025. Annual investment from Korea to Central Asia climbed 69 percent over the same period to $117 million. Korean companies' footprint in the region, once concentrated in the automotive and construction sectors, is broadening into urban infrastructure, information and communications technology, health care and smart agriculture.

Nam said the two sides' economies are growing increasingly complementary, as Korea's manufacturing capacity and technological expertise, combined with Central Asia's natural resources, growing markets and young workforce, create conditions for joint industrial upgrading.

"Beyond traditional sectors, expanding into emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, digital technology and climate solutions will build foundations for future growth engines," he said.

That momentum is central to the Lee administration's pragmatic diplomacy, which inherits and builds on the New Northern Policy's goal of broadening ties across Eurasia as part of a wider push to diversify Korea's foreign policy in a volatile international environment. Under that framework, Central Asia occupies a central role, offering pathways for supply chain diversification, infrastructure contracts and new export markets, while serving as a key link in strengthening the partnerships that underpin the policy's vision of reciprocal growth and regional stability.

Korea also holds a connection to the region that no other C5+1 partner can claim. Central Asia is home to some 310,000 Koryoin, also known as Koryo-saram — ethnic Koreans whose families were deported to the region in 1937 — making it one of the world's largest concentrations of overseas Koreans. Some 5,000 Korean nationals and businesspeople are active in Central Asia, while roughly 150,000 Central Asian students and workers now live in Korea.

"Next year marks 90 years since the Koryoin settled in Central Asia. Their presence is a human and historical asset that connects our two sides like no other partnership can," Nam said. "This summit is also about widening exchanges between our peoples and building connections for the next generation."

Supporters of the first-ever Korea-Central Asia Summit 2026 hold placards during a launch ceremony for the group at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul, July 3. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Seoul Declaration is expected to lay the groundwork for regular summit-level engagement and outline specific cooperation tracks.

For Central Asian governments, the summit offers a chance to add another major economy to their expanding roster of strategic partners. Korea's rapid industrialization — and the technological expertise, workforce development and Official Development Assistance investment that drove it — has long served as a reference point for the region's own modernization ambitions. Three decades of trade, investment and development cooperation have built a foundation of trust that both sides are now seeking to scale up.

For Korea, the summit represents an opportunity to deepen its presence in a region where critical minerals, energy security and continental logistics corridors will shape economic strategy for decades to come. Closer ties with Central Asia open pathways for supply chain diversification, infrastructure contracts, local production hubs and new export markets.

The groundwork has been laid over three decades. The summit is where both sides decide what to build on it.

This section was produced in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to mark the first Korea-Central Asia Summit.

韩国与五个中亚国家将于周三在首尔举行首次峰会，将近二十年的合作提升至领导人层面。韩国总统李在明将主持哈萨克斯坦、吉尔吉斯斯坦、塔吉克斯坦、土库曼斯坦和乌兹别克斯坦领导人的会晤，预计他们将通过一份联合《首尔宣言》。会谈将围绕关键矿产、供应链和欧亚互联互通等议题展开。

韩国—中亚合作论坛于2007年成立，2017年设立常设秘书处，2020年升级为外长级机制。

此次峰会是韩国今年唯一主办的多边领导人会议。

韩国与中亚之间的贸易总额从 2021 年起增长 90%，到 2025 年将达到 100 亿美元。

同期韩国对中亚的年度投资增长了 69%，达到 1.17 亿美元。

中亚地区居住着约 31 万高丽人，目前约有 15 万中亚学生和务工人员居住在韩国。

发布于2026年9月16日凌晨12:02（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月16日 上午7:54（韩国标准时间）

4月10日，在韩国外交部总部举行的首届韩国—中亚峰会筹备室主任郑义海（中）与五国中亚国家副外长举行的首次高级官员会议上发表讲话。韩国与五国中亚国家首次峰会定于周三在首尔举行，届时韩国总统李在明将与哈萨克斯坦、吉尔吉斯斯坦、塔吉克斯坦、土库曼斯坦和乌兹别克斯坦的外长就共同议程展开讨论。图片由韩国外交部提供。

首届韩国—中亚峰会标志 / 图片由韩国外交部提供

韩国和五个中亚国家将于周三在首尔举行首次峰会，将近二十年的机构合作提升到领导层级别，双方寻求在关键矿产、供应链和欧亚互联互通方面建立更紧密的联系。

韩国总统李在明将主持哈萨克斯坦总统卡西姆若马尔特·托卡耶夫、吉尔吉斯斯坦总统萨德尔·扎帕罗夫、塔吉克斯坦总统埃莫马利·拉赫蒙、土库曼斯坦总统塞尔达尔·别尔德穆哈梅多夫和乌兹别克斯坦总统沙夫卡特·米尔济约耶夫的会晤，此次会议的主题是“携手共创未来：建立信任与繁荣的伙伴关系”。预计六位领导人将通过一份联合《首尔宣言》，概述一个扩大合作框架。

为什么中亚现在如此重要

此次峰会召开之际，全球对中亚的关注度日益提升。中亚地区人口总数约8000万，其丰富的能源储备、矿产资源以及位于主要洲际贸易路线交汇处的地理位置，近年来吸引了世界主要经济体在该地区开展峰会级别的外交活动。由此催生了一种新的外交模式，即“中亚+”（C5+1）模式，在这种模式下，五个中亚国家与一个外部伙伴在峰会级别进行合作。目前，多个类似的机制正在并行运作。

然而，韩国的参与早于近期的峰会外交热潮。韩国—中亚合作论坛于2007年启动，2017年设立常设秘书处，并于2020年升级为外长级机制。此次总统峰会是这一进程的最终成果，也是韩国今年主办的唯一一次多边领导人会议。

“韩国很早就认识到，需要将中亚地区视为一个整体，而不是五个独立的伙伴国，自2007年该论坛成立以来，双方的伙伴关系一直在朝着这一目标发展，”韩国外交部东北和中亚事务司司长南进表示。

由于共同关注的重点领域——供应链、互联互通和气候变化——已经超出部长级会谈的范围，双方达成共识，认为伙伴关系需要提升到最高级别。

3月16日，在首尔外交部总部举行的首届韩中峰会筹备办公室成立仪式上，韩国外交部长赵显铉（右四）和筹备办公室主任郑义海（左二）与哈萨克斯坦、吉尔吉斯斯坦、塔吉克斯坦、土库曼斯坦和乌兹别克斯坦驻韩国大使合影。（图片由韩国外交部提供）

从资源到产业合作

中亚拥有丰富的能源和矿产资源，随着供应链的转移，这些资源正吸引着全球的关注。哈萨克斯坦是主要的原油生产国，也是世界上最大的铀供应国。土库曼斯坦拥有世界最大的天然气储量，而乌兹别克斯坦则是重要的钼产地。哈萨克斯坦批准了2024-2028年稀有金属和稀土元素综合发展计划，而吉尔吉斯斯坦去年公布了其到2030年的关键矿产资源发展计划。

对韩国而言，该地区日益重要的原因不仅仅在于其丰富的原材料资源。中亚各国政府正寻求通过拓展加工、提炼和先进制造业，而非仅仅依赖资源开采，来获取其资源的更多价值。

该地区各国正在指定优先发展行业，以建立产业中心，并寻求外国投资以及与国际机构和外国公司建立伙伴关系，同时推进国家主导的数字化项目以提高生产力。

与此同时，为了应对苏联时期遗留下来的老旧基础设施，中亚各国正致力于扩建和现代化关键的交通、物流和能源网络。特别是，各国政府正大力投资能源网建设，以及连接亚欧大陆的战略性交通和贸易走廊。

对于中亚领导人来说，与韩国建立伙伴关系的吸引力在于其过往的成就：通过技术转让、劳动力发展和出口导向型制造业推动的快速工业化——这是他们中的一些人正在试图复制的道路。

8月26日，在首届韩国—中亚峰会召开前夕，一名参与者在首尔清溪广场参加了名为“丝绸之路相聚”的宣传活动。（韩联社）

近年来，韩国与中亚的经济联系迅速发展。贸易总额较2021年增长90%，预计2025年将达到100亿美元。同期，韩国对中亚的年度投资额增长69%，达到1.17亿美元。韩国企业在该地区的业务范围已从曾经的汽车和建筑行业扩展到城市基础设施、信息通信技术、医疗保健和智慧农业等领域。

南表示，随着韩国的制造业能力和技术专长与中亚的自然资源、不断增长的市场和年轻的劳动力相结合，双方经济的互补性日益增强，为共同进行产业升级创造了条件。

他表示：“除了传统领域，拓展到人工智能、数字技术和气候解决方案等新兴领域，将为未来的增长引擎奠定基础。”

这一势头是李明博政府务实外交的核心，该政策继承并发展了新北方政策的目标，即在动荡的国际环境中，拓展与欧亚大陆的联系，以实现韩国外交政策多元化。在这一框架下，中亚扮演着核心角色，为供应链多元化、基础设施建设合同和新的出口市场提供了途径，同时也是加强伙伴关系的关键环节，而这些伙伴关系正是该政策互惠增长和区域稳定愿景的基石。

韩国与该地区的联系是其他任何C5+1伙伴国都无法比拟的。中亚是约31万高丽人（也称高丽沙兰）的家园，这些高丽人是朝鲜族后裔，他们的家人在1937年被流放到该地区，这使得中亚成为世界上海外朝鲜族人口最集中的地区之一。约有5000名韩国公民和商人活跃在中亚，另有约15万中亚留学生和务工人员目前居住在韩国。

“明年是高丽人定居中亚90周年。他们的存在是宝贵的人文和历史财富，将我们两国紧密联系在一起，这是其他任何伙伴关系都无法比拟的，”南说。“此次峰会也旨在扩大我们两国人民之间的交流，并为下一代建立联系。”

7月3日，在首尔外交部总部举行的首届2026年韩国-中亚峰会启动仪式上，支持者们举着标语牌。图片由韩国外交部提供。

《首尔宣言》有望为定期举行峰会级别会晤奠定基础，并概述具体的合作途径。

对中亚各国政府而言，此次峰会提供了一个契机，使其不断扩大的战略伙伴名单中再添一个主要经济体。韩国的快速工业化——以及推动这一进程的技术专长、劳动力发展和官方发展援助投资——长期以来一直是该地区现代化进程的标杆。三十年来，双方在贸易、投资和发展领域的合作已建立起深厚的互信基础，如今双方正寻求进一步扩大合作规模。

对韩国而言，此次峰会是深化其在中亚地区影响力的契机。中亚地区拥有重要的矿产资源、能源安全保障和洲际物流走廊，这些都将影响未来几十年韩国的经济战略。加强与中亚的联系，将有助于韩国实现供应链多元化、签订基础设施合同、建立本地生产中心并开拓新的出口市场。

三十多年来，双方已为此奠定了基础。峰会上，双方将决定在此基础上继续发展。

本部分内容由韩国外交部合作制作，以纪念首届韩国—中亚峰会。