Deputy Minister Kim Geon Attends, Reviews Preparation Status of Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 29th, Kim Geon, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, held the 4th Korea-Turkmenistan Policy Consultation with Vepa Hadjiyev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, and exchanged wide-ranging views on mutual interests including follow-up measures to the summit held last April, preparation for the 13th Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum, and cooperation on the international stage.
Both sides agreed that South Korea and Turkmenistan have steadily developed a friendly cooperative relationship since establishing diplomatic relations in 1992, and evaluated that cooperation between the two countries has become more diversified through the South Korean government's New Northern Policy and President Moon Jae-in's state visit to Turkmenistan last year.
Deputy Minister Kim evaluated that the Korea-Turkmenistan Business Council, established as a follow-up measure to last year's summit, is playing a role in discovering cooperative projects and promoting economic cooperation between the two countries, and expressed hope that Korean companies will continue to participate in various new projects, including follow-up projects related to the representative cooperation project, the Kiyanly Gas Chemical Plant.
In response, Deputy Minister Hadjiyev evaluated that Korean companies are contributing to Turkmenistan's high value-added industrial modernization policy, as demonstrated by the construction project of the Kiyanly Gas Chemical Plant, and expressed willingness to cooperate in supporting Korean companies' entry into Turkmenistan and resolving difficulties faced by local companies.
Furthermore, Deputy Minister Kim expressed gratitude to the Turkmenistan government for cooperating to conduct pilot Korean language education in Turkmenistan's regular schools and to open the Sejong Institute, and conveyed his expectation that those who learn Korean through the Sejong Institute and other programs will become bridges in Korea-Turkmenistan relations. Deputy Minister Hadjiyev expressed appreciation for South Korea's support in widely promoting Taekwondo in Turkmenistan and requested continued cooperation such as dispatching Taekwondo instructors.
Both sides agreed that the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum, launched in 2007, has established an exemplary framework for multilateral cooperation that has promoted practical cooperation between Korea and Central Asia in various fields. Deputy Minister Kim expressed gratitude for Turkmenistan's active participation in the 12 Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forums held so far. Deputy Minister Hadjiyev evaluated that the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum has greatly contributed to enhancing Korea-Central Asia cooperation and expressed Turkmenistan's willingness to actively participate with high-level officials in the forum.
Meanwhile, both sides also agreed to continue cooperation not only in Korea-Central Asia multilateral cooperation but also on the international stage such as the United Nations (UN). Deputy Minister Hadjiyev expressed gratitude for the support from Korean companies and the government related to COVID-19 and showed interest in joining the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), which is headquartered in Korea.
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