The meeting was also attended by Lee Ji-young, Head of the Central Asian Studies Department at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), and experts from the Korea Institute of International Economic Policy (KIEP) Park Jong-ho, Korea Institute of National Unification (KINU) Hyun Seung-soo and others.

During the conversation, the experts pointed out the interest of South Korean government circles in strengthening partnership with Central Asian countries in priority areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.

According to the head of the South Korean delegation Seong-Hoon Je, ‘despite the fact that we represent different Korean think tanks, we have united to promote relations with your region together’.

He emphasised the need to continue substantive talks to discuss and identify concrete and practical opportunities for cooperation between South Korea and Central Asian countries.

The two sides also discussed the organisation of a Forum of South Korean and Central Asian experts to develop new proposals and recommendations for the Central Asia-Republic of Korea cooperation agenda.

In conclusion, the sides agreed to increase cooperation between research organisations and think tanks in priority areas.

The South Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Expert Forum was established at the Centre for Euro-Asian Studies of Hankuk University of External Studies to explore issues of cooperation between the Republic of Korea and Central Asia.