South Korea and Central Asian leaders seek deeper ties in minerals and industry

South Korea and the five Central Asian states have held their first leaders’ summit, giving new prominence to critical minerals, industrial investment and technology cooperation in a relationship that has long included infrastructure and manufacturing projects.

President Lee Jae Myung hosted the September 16 meeting with the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The leaders adopted a Seoul Declaration and other documents, according to the Uzbek presidency. The summit followed bilateral meetings and business discussions, but the existence of agreements should not be confused with completed investment.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed a regional investment alliance for critical minerals that would support exploration, processing and production of higher-value goods. He also offered to establish a Central Asia–Korea industrial and technology park in Uzbekistan and backed a ministerial platform for industry and trade. His proposed goal of $20 billion in trade by 2030 is an ambition, not a current trade figure or a collectively verified forecast.

The emphasis on processing speaks to a persistent question for resource-rich countries: how much value can be retained locally when global demand for minerals rises. Seoul brings industrial technology and manufacturing capacity; Central Asian governments want projects that develop plants, skills and supply chains as well as extraction. Mirziyoyev also called for cooperation on cyber security, climate adaptation and training for young people.

The summit establishes a recurring high-level channel, but the practical test will come with project terms, financing and implementation schedules. For businesses and governments across the region, the new format creates an opening to negotiate those details together while pursuing their own bilateral deals.