Baku, December 3, AZERTAC

President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his Kyrgyz counterpart, Sadyr Japarov, agreed to elevate bilateral ties and expand cooperation in energy and critical minerals during their summit Tuesday, Yonhap News Agency reports citing the South Korean President’s office.

The two nations also established a comprehensive strategic partnership to enhance collaboration in trade, investment, energy, supply chains, development and climate change, according to a joint declaration. Japarov is on an official visit to South Korea.

"Our government is paying attention to the strategic importance of Central Asia as a bridge between Asia and Europe," Yoon said in his opening remarks, adding that South Korea "aims to significantly develop relations with the Kyrgyz Republic, an important cooperation partner in Central Asia."

This marks the first significant upgrade in relations since South Korea and Kyrgyzstan established diplomatic ties in 1992, following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Key agreements included a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on energy and critical minerals, focusing on renewable energy projects and natural resource supply chains.

Other agreements were signed to pave the way for joint initiatives in greenhouse gas reduction, including projects near 10 small hydropower plants in Kyrgyzstan.

The two sides also agreed to collaborate on eco-friendly resource development, refining technologies and information sharing.

Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked Central Asian nation with abundant water resources and mineral deposits, including antimony -- a vital material for battery production -- was recognized as a strategic partner for South Korea's advanced manufacturing industries.

The finance ministry signed a framework agreement to extend US$500 million in low-interest, long-term Economic Development Cooperation Fund loans to Kyrgyzstan from 2025 to 2029.

An MOU on the Trade and Investment Promotion Framework was also signed to enhance economic ties across supply chains, digital technologies and biotechnology.

Kyrgyzstan is the fourth Central Asian nation to hold a summit with Yoon this year, following his meetings with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in June, where discussions centered on economic partnerships and mineral resource cooperation.

During the talks, Japarov expressed strong support for Yoon's plan to host the first summit of five Central Asian nations, including Tajikistan, in South Korea next year, pledging to work closely for its success, according to a joint declaration.

He also reaffirmed Kyrgyzstan's support for North Korea's denuclearization and Yoon's unification doctrine, which envisions a free and prosperous Korean Peninsula, it noted.