President of Turkmenistan participated in the first "Central Asia – Republic of Korea" Summit

On September 16, 2026, as part of a state visit to the Republic of Korea, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov participated in the first "Central Asia – Republic of Korea" Summit.

At the summit venue, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov was warmly welcomed by the President of the Republic of Korea.

Following the official joint photo session of the participating heads of state, the first "Central Asia – Republic of Korea" Summit commenced its work.

The Summit was also attended by President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, and President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Warmly welcoming his foreign colleagues, President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae Myung noted that this is the first meeting of heads of state in this format, and the current Summit will be an important step toward developing multifaceted cooperation between the countries of Central Asia and the Republic of Korea.

The floor was then given to the Summit participants.

At the beginning of his speech, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov expressed his gratitude to the President of the Republic of Korea, Lee Jae Myung, for the warmth, hospitality, high level of organization of the first “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Summit, and the excellent working conditions provided.

Among the priorities of joint activities within the “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” format, Turkmenistan considers urban development and infrastructure, as well as the creation of a modern urban environment that meets the latest requirements and trends.

In this context, the head of state referred to the “Smart Cities Diplomacy” initiative recently put forward by Turkmenistan. This initiative implies joining efforts, sharing experience and information, jointly implementing scientific and technological achievements, and, in general, creating integrated and efficient models of urban planning and architecture.

Among other important areas of cooperation, the President of Turkmenistan also highlighted industry, agriculture, ecology, water issues, healthcare, the service sector, and tourism.

Touching upon the topic of partnership in education, the head of state voiced the proposal of  Turkmenistan to develop new forms of interaction between educational institutions of Central Asia and the Republic of Korea, including dual-degree programs.

In the field of science, it is proposed to intensify joint research, design, and exploration activities of young scientists, as well as to establish an Institute for Supporting the Development and Implementation of Youth Innovative Ideas.

In the cultural sphere, Turkmenistan proposed a Roadmap for Intercultural Youth Exchanges between the countries of Central Asia and the Republic of Korea, along with a “Young Talents” program.

Alongside this, it is proposed to develop sports cooperation, including the exchange of specialists, the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, and exploring the possibility of organizing the International Youth Sports Games of Central Asia and the Republic of Korea.

In conclusion, the head of state expressed his confidence that the “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Forum of cooperation serves the long-term interests of our peoples and is capable of becoming a major factor in shaping sustainable and effective mechanisms for international partnership.

During the Summit, the heads of state also discussed issues regarding the processing of raw materials using Korean technologies, the joint development of deposits, the creation of industrial enterprises and transport corridors, and the formation of logistics routes providing regional countries with access to global markets. They also covered the implementation of joint projects in the field of artificial intelligence, the digitalization of public services, the introduction of “green” technologies, and adaptation to climate change.

Following the high-level meeting, the Seoul Declaration of the First “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Summit was adopted.

Subsequently, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov participated in a special session of the “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Business Summit.

Opening the special session, President Lee Jae Myung noted that the countries of Central Asia and Korea are united by historically established ties. In this context, the readiness of the Republic of Korea to expand them across a wide range of areas was reaffirmed.

At the beginning of his speech, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov cordially welcomed all participants of the Business Summit meeting. The Head of Turkmenistan noted that the current business dialogue is viewed as a vital starting point for achieving the goals of a full-scale, systematic, and long-term economic, trade, investment, and business partnership between our countries across the widest range of areas. In this process, a key role is assigned to the business communities.

As the head of state emphasized, Turkmenistan will be fully involved in these processes. Turkmenistan is ready to provide all necessary assistance to develop direct contacts and exchanges between business communities, as well as to encourage business activity, independence, and initiative in partnership intentions and endeavors.

Turkmenistan assigns a special place to the transport and logistics sector, viewing it as a strategic priority.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov expressed his confidence that the agreements reached will be successfully implemented in practice and will serve to strengthen trust, expand business relations, and grow mutual trade between the states of Central Asia and Korea. In conclusion, the Head of Turkmenistan wished the participants of the Business Summit fruitful work, constructive negotiations, and new successes in developing mutually beneficial partnership.

As the meeting continued, participants discussed issues of geology and the processing of mineral raw materials, the implementation of joint energy projects (including “green” energy), the introduction of advanced Korean technologies, the creation of multimodal transport corridors, and increasing the transit potential of the region.

Then, an official dinner was hosted by the President of the Republic of Korea in honor of the heads of state participating in the first “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Summit.

Upon completing the program of his state visit to the Republic of Korea, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov proceeded to the Seoul airport and departed for the homeland.

***

Within the framework of the first “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Summit, the following documents were adopted: the Joint Statement of the First Meeting of the Ministers of Industry Consultative Mechanism of the “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” format; the “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Initiative on Cooperation in Artificial Intelligence, Science, and Future Technologies; and the Initiative of the Central Asian States and the Republic of Korea on Climate, Energy Transition, and Air Quality. Additionally, the Memorandum of Understanding between the Central Asian States and the Republic of Korea on Industrial and Logistics Cooperation and the Joint Statement of the First “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Business Summit were signed.

***

As part of the visit to the Republic of Korea, the delegation of Turkmenistan participated in the first meeting of the Ministers of Industry Consultative Mechanism of the “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” format; the ministerial meeting on cooperation in artificial intelligence, science, and future technologies of the “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” format; and the “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” ministerial forum on forestry and countering climate change. During the meetings, an exchange of views took place on issues of mutual interest, and promising areas of cooperation were identified.