Translated with AI
On September 16, 2026, in Seoul, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will hold the first summit with the leaders of the five Central Asian states—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Reuters reports this, citing the South Korean presidential administration.
Before the general meeting, Lee Jae-myung will hold separate talks with the leaders of Central Asian states. Bilateral meetings are scheduled for September 14–16.
The summit's main topics will be expanding trade and investment, cooperation in energy, critical minerals, and supply chain development. According to Lee Jae-myung, the meeting aims to strengthen relations between South Korea and the Central Asian countries through multilateral cooperation at the head-of-state level.
Preparations for the summit lasted several months. The first meeting of high-level representatives of South Korea and the five Central Asian states took place in Seoul in April, and the second meeting took place in Tashkent in June.
During these meetings, the parties discussed the specific results of the upcoming summit and the development of cooperation in four areas: institutionalization of partnership, peace and stability, innovation and prosperity, and humanitarian ties.
A multilateral format for cooperation between South Korea and Central Asia has existed since 2007. At that time, the Republic of Korea–Central Asia Cooperation Forum was established at the initiative of the South Korean government.
The forum is held annually and brings together South Korea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. It is a venue for discussing joint economic and humanitarian projects with the participation of government agencies and business representatives.
The forum was subsequently elevated to ministerial level. The upcoming meeting in Seoul will elevate this format to the level of heads of state for the first time.
