Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 11 April, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan with representatives from the Republic of Korea. The delegation was led by Lim Kikeun, the head of the Public Procurement Service of the Republic of Korea, and included officials from the Uzbek Ministry of Economy and Finance, headed by Deputy Minister Gulnora Rakhimova.

Reforming the public procurement system based on advanced foreign experience and strengthening ties with international partners in this area are key priorities. During the meeting, a memorandum of cooperation in public procurement was signed with the Public Procurement Service of the Republic of Korea.

Under the memorandum, the parties agreed to expand the use of artificial intelligence tools in public procurement, implement international standards to combat corruption to strengthen control mechanisms and enhance efficiency, improve support mechanisms for small and medium-sized enterprises in the procurement process, and exchange experiences on the development of "green" public procurement.

For reference: The public procurement system of the Republic of Korea is considered one of the most advanced and effective in the world. The system is being implemented in cooperation with more than 30 countries, including Italy, Turkey, and Jordan. Thanks to the KONEPS system, significant reductions in corruption risks have been achieved, stimulating fair and free competition.

The successful experience of the Republic of Korea and its modern mechanisms in public procurement will serve as a basis for further improving this area in Uzbekistan.