Critical Metals Key to Deepening South Korea-Kyrgyzstan Relations

[ad_1] Hours earlier than he declared martial regulation in a surprising televised deal with, South Korea President Yoon Suk-yeol held talks with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov. The 2 presidents agreed to raise relations to a complete partnership and vowed to deepen cooperation in commerce, power, mining, and different fields.

Japarov’s state go to to South Korea is the primary by a Kyrgyz president in 11 years. Then-Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev traveled to Seoul in November 2013 to fulfill with then-South Korean President Park Geun-hye to work on increasing relations. His go to was the primary by a Kyrgyz president to South Korea since 1997. However when Park made her 2014 journey by Central Asia – visiting Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan – she skipped Kyrgyzstan.

Park was impeached and faraway from workplace in 2017.

Yoon visited Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan in June 2024 , rolling out South Korea’s new regional technique, the “ Ok-Silk Street ” initiative.

Kyrgyzstan has usually fallen behind its neighbors relating to Seoul’s top-level regional engagements, however because the current state go to illustrated, there are many areas of mutual curiosity.

The joint assertion famous curiosity in enhancing commerce and funding, with an emphasis on power. A variety of bilateral settlement had been reached in the course of the go to. Mining and hydropower initiatives, specifically, current alternatives for collaboration. One of many go to’s outcomes was a memorandum of understanding on “Cooperation within the Vitality Sector and Key Minerals.”

Antimony was highlighted by Yoon’s workplace as of great curiosity. Kyrgyzstan is estimated to have one of many largest reserves of antimony on the planet, after China, Bolivia, and Russia. A so-called important mineral , the steel is wanted for dozens of makes use of, together with in batteries and semiconductors.

One other memorandum was signed between Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Vitality and the Korean Water Sources Company (Ok-Water) on joint work towards a undertaking involving 10 small hydropower vegetation.

Seoul can also be eager on tapping into Central Asia’s geopolitical place. “Our authorities is listening to the strategic significance of Central Asia as a bridge between Asia and Europe,” Yoon stated in his opening remarks.

Japarov additionally held talks with the speaker of the South Korean Nationwide Meeting Woo Received-shik and with famous South Korean politician and diplomat Ban Ki-moon , who served as secretary-general of the United Nations from 2007 to 2016 and is at present president of the meeting and chair of the Council of International Inexperienced Progress Institute (GGGI).

Japarov invited Yoon to make an official go to to Kyrgyzstan and endorsed Yoon’s plan to host a summit with the 5 Central Asian states in South Korea in 2025.

Whether or not any of those ambitions come to fruition will rely closely on what occurs subsequent in South Korea and the way lengthy Yoon manages to cling to energy. Following the late-night martial regulation declaration, the Kyrgyz president’s press secretary instructed 24.kg that the state go to goes in line with plan and the delegation would return to Kyrgyzstan as scheduled on December 4.