Seoul Hosts First Meeting to Prepare Korea-Central Asia Summit

Senior officials from South Korea and the five Central Asian nations convened in Seoul on April 10, 2026, for the inaugural preparatory meeting ahead of the first-ever summit of their heads of state.

The meeting brought together deputy foreign ministers from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and South Korea. Olimjon Abdullayev led the delegation representing Uzbekistan at the discussions.

As the host nation for the upcoming summit, South Korea presented its proposed concept and key organizational frameworks for the high-level gathering. The participants exchanged views on shaping a substantive agenda for cooperation between Seoul and the Central Asian region.

The dialogue emphasized the importance of fostering equal and mutually beneficial partnerships. Officials highlighted that this collaboration should be rooted in shared historical and cultural ties while being strategically oriented toward achieving long-term development goals.

Following the talks, all parties agreed to continue working within this format to develop a meaningful program for the landmark summit between South Korea and Central Asian leaders.

In a separate diplomatic engagement during their visit, the heads of the Central Asian delegations met with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun. Both sides underscored their shared belief that the forthcoming summit will mark a significant new milestone in deepening relations between the region and South Korea.