Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In his speech at the expert forum “Strategic dialogue Central Asia - Republic of Korea: prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation” that opened today, the director of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan (ISMI), Eldor Aripov, especially noted that current level of cooperation does not reflect the enormous potential that the countries have accumulated.

According to the expert, the share of Central Asia in South Korea’s foreign trade turnover (US$1.4 trillion) is less than one percent. Even for the states of the region, the volume of trade with Seoul is not high and is at the level of four percent.

It was emphasized that the dynamic transformation of Central Asia opens up completely new and untapped opportunities for South Korea, as well as for other external partners of the region.

Today, the states of Central Asia demonstrate a strong determination to move further towards closer cooperation and express their readiness to create a new way of economic development in the region, based on the use of competitive advantages and complementarity of economies.

In this regard, according to Eldor Aripov, the primary task is to identify the search for new points of contact, identify current areas of cooperation and develop specific proposals in order to significantly strengthen multilateral interaction.

First of all, he emphasized, further deepening cooperation in the scientific and technological sphere and digitalization presents great prospects.

Remaining one of the world leaders in the development of the digital economy, Seoul can become a promising partner for Central Asian countries interested in introducing new technologies and innovations in areas such as healthcare, agriculture, and the green economy.

Secondly, the expert noted, there is an objective demand for the joint development of human capital.

In particular, it seems relevant to expand cooperation in the field of education, mutual academic exchanges, training of personnel in technical and engineering specialties, as well as middle-level management personnel.

There is already positive experience of interaction in this area. For example, branches of 4 South Korean universities operate successfully in Uzbekistan.

The training of specialists of the new formation can become the supporting structure of mutually beneficial multilateral cooperation, which will give interaction additional stability, facilitating the effective implementation of joint projects.

Thirdly, South Korea, in cooperation with the states of Central Asia, can concentrate on deep processing of raw materials and industrial cooperation, followed by production of products with high added value and their sale in the markets of third countries.

Fourthly, the representative of the ISMI believes, an equally important area is adaptation to climate change and the widespread introduction of “green” technologies. Central Asia is today the most vulnerable region in the world to the effects of climate change.

And here, attracting the rich experience and investments of South Korea for the development of renewable energy sources and the introduction of modern resource-saving and environmentally friendly technologies can play an important role.

“I hope that these areas will be discussed today. Their list is absolutely inexhaustible. But they could significantly enrich our interaction. Adapt it to our real needs,” concluded Eldor Aripov.

At the expert forum organized by ISMI in partnership with the South Korean Center for International Regional Studies at the Hanguk University of Foreign Studies, a detailed exchange of views took place on the current situation in Central Asia, prospects for the further development of economic cooperation and the expansion of cultural and humanitarian dialogue between the countries of Central Asia and Republic of Korea.

From the South Korean side, the event was attended by Director of the Center for International Regional Studies Kang Joon Young, Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Cooperation Forum "Republic of Korea - Central Asia" Lee Jong Guk, Secretary of the President of the Republic of Korea for Economic Security Wang Yoon Jeong, Special Rapporteur of the Office of the President of the Republic of Korea Um Narin, professors and representatives of the National Strategies Research Projects Agency and other experts.