South Korea and five Central Asian nations held their first ministerial-level multilateral talks on industrial cooperation in Korea on the 14th.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan met with his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan at the Westin Josun hotel in Seoul's Jung District to open the first Korea-Central Asia (C5+1) Industry Ministers' Meeting.
The ministers from the six countries agreed to strengthen cooperation around three core areas to jointly respond to a rapidly shifting trade environment and the realignment of supply chains.
They first agreed to develop integrated industrial complexes and expand Korean participation in smart infrastructure projects to boost trade and upgrade industrial infrastructure.
On building critical mineral supply chains, the countries plan to strengthen cooperation across the entire supply chain by combining Central Asia's abundant mineral resources, including lithium and rare earths, with Korea's advanced processing and materials technologies.
They also agreed to support the digitalization of factories in Central Asia to deepen technological cooperation and to promote exchanges among young technical talent.
Kim, who chaired the first meeting, said, "We intend to begin a journey of cooperation toward a greater leap forward, using Korea's advanced technology and manufacturing capabilities as a catalyst for Central Asia's enormous growth potential." He added, "I hope the industry ministers' meeting takes root as a platform for mutually beneficial cooperation, one that identifies and jointly develops tangible projects that companies and citizens in each country can feel."
