Adoption of Joint Statement at Summit Meeting on State Visit
Strengthening Cooperation in Gas, Chemicals, Shipbuilding, and Other Sectors
President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee are boarding Air Force One at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on the 10th, greeting as they depart for visits to three Central Asian countries: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.
On the 10th (local time), President Yoon Suk-yeol arrived in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, and held a summit with Serdar Berdimuhamedow, President of Turkmenistan, agreeing to further develop a mutually beneficial partnership between the two countries to promote common prosperity.
In particular, President Berdimuhamedow supported the Korean government's first Central Asia strategy, the "Korea-Central Asia K Silk Road Cooperation Initiative," and both governments agreed to closely cooperate to implement this initiative. They also agreed to increase joint efforts to strengthen cooperation in fields such as gas, chemicals, shipbuilding, textiles, transportation, information and communications, and environmental protection.
President Yoon and President Berdimuhamedow jointly issued a joint statement on the same day outlining these points and discussed ways to expand and deepen cooperation between the two countries in economic, social, and cultural fields, as well as regional and international issues of common interest.
The two leaders shared a commitment to strengthening the central role of the United Nations (UN) in addressing international issues such as maintaining international peace and security, sustainable development, conflict prevention, and peaceful resolution. The presidential office reported that they also agreed that international issues should only be resolved through peaceful diplomatic means and methods.
Furthermore, both sides agreed that the peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue and the complete denuclearization of North Korea would contribute not only to peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula but also to global peace and prosperity. The two leaders emphasized the importance of fulfilling international obligations under UN Security Council resolutions, and President Berdimuhamedow expressed support for the Republic of Korea government's "Bold Initiative for a Denuclearized, Peaceful, and Prosperous Korean Peninsula."
In particular, the two countries agreed to hold regular policy consultations to discuss future international relations issues and to expand mutually beneficial economic cooperation. Based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on infrastructure and new city cooperation, they also agreed to strengthen cooperation in construction and infrastructure between the two countries.
They further agreed to cooperate to ensure the success of large-scale construction projects promoted by Turkmenistan, including petrochemicals, eco-friendly plants, and desulfurization facilities. The two leaders evaluated the agreement to increase transport rights as an important milestone in enhancing bilateral cooperation and shared the view to activate human and material exchanges between the two countries. They also agreed on the need to promote cooperation for attracting investment in the energy sector and developing new industries to achieve international carbon neutrality.
President Yoon Suk-yeol is greeting Chief Presidential Secretary Jeong Jin-seok as he departs from Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on the 10th to visit three Central Asian countries: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. [Photo by Yonhap News]
Based on the trade and economic cooperation agreement between the Republic of Korea government and the Turkmenistan government signed on October 31 last year, the two leaders agreed to build a mutually beneficial economic cooperation relationship between the two countries. They welcomed the signing of the trade and investment promotion framework MOU between the two governments and agreed on the need to promptly conclude an agreement on the mutual promotion and protection of investments between the two countries.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the successful hosting of the 16th Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum held in Ashgabat last November and agreed to work together to further develop the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum. President Berdimuhamedow wished for the successful hosting of the first Korea-Central Asia Summit to be held next year.
Additionally, the two leaders agreed on the importance of developing parliamentary diplomacy between the Republic of Korea and Central Asian countries and welcomed the upcoming 2nd Korea-Central Asia Speakers' Meeting to be held in Ashgabat in the second half of this year. They confirmed the importance of human exchanges between the two countries and agreed to expand cooperation in culture, science, education, health, sports, and tourism.
President Berdimuhamedow then invited the Korean side to the international summit forum commemorating the 300th anniversary of the birth of Makhtumkuli Fragi, a renowned Turkmen poet and thinker. President Yoon expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality extended by President Berdimuhamedow and the people of Turkmenistan and invited President Berdimuhamedow to visit Korea. The Turkmenistan president expressed his gratitude and accepted the invitation, with the visit date to be coordinated through diplomatic channels, according to the presidential office.
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