Top diplomats of South Korea and five Central Asian countries gathered at a regional forum in the Korean city Busan on Tuesday to explore ways of boosting economic and security cooperation, Yonhap News Agency reports.
The 15th Republic of Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum, a dialogue platform launched in 2007 to strengthen cooperation in economic, cultural and other areas, was attended by senior officials of Korea and Central Asian countries, including the foreign ministers of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
During the forum, Foreign Minister of South Korea Park Jin stressed that the Central Asian states are important partners in diverse fields, including energy and infrastructure.
"This year marks 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties with the five Central Asian countries in 1992, and our relations have developed rapidly based on a mutually beneficial economic structure and cultural similarities," Park said during his congratulatory speech at the forum.
He also requested support for South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan.
During the forum, diplomats and experts from the participating nations discussed how to step up cooperation in the energy, digital technology, economic security, tourism and health care sectors.
