President Lee says upcoming Seoul summit will boost New Northern Policy and Central Asian ties

President Lee Jae-myung told senior aides that the Korea-Central Asia summit scheduled for the 16th in Seoul will turn bilateral ties into a full-scale multilateral cooperation system and strengthen the New Northern Policy. He described Central Asia as the geopolitical heart of Eurasia, rich in energy and critical minerals, and stressed the region’s growth potential. The summit will include bilateral talks with the five Central Asian heads of state, a Business Summit attended by roughly 500 government and corporate representatives, and an official banquet.

Officials plan to upgrade the cooperation framework that began with the 2007 Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum to a summit-level partnership and issue a Seoul Declaration to set a sustainable, long-term agenda. Expected outcomes include diversified supply chains for minerals, tailored regulatory cooperation, and enhanced collaboration on transnational crimes and security issues.