By Kim Ji-eun

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is in New York for the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, held his first meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev since taking office on the afternoon of September 19.
 

During the meeting, President Yoon requested Uzbekistan's support for the 2030 Busan World Expo and exchanged views on ways to develop bilateral relations.

President Yoon assessed the remarkable development of bilateral relations over the past 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992 and expressed his hope to further develop relations with Uzbekistan, a key Central Asian ally and special strategic partner. 

In response, President Mirziyoyev expressed his country's keen interest in cooperation with the Republic of Korea and called for closer cooperation to further develop bilateral ties. 

President Yoon suggested that Uzbekistan, which has abundant resources such as semiconductor materials, and South Korea, which has advanced technologies, should explore ways to cooperate in building key supply chains, and expressed hope that the "Rare Metals Commercialization Project" currently underway will proceed smoothly.

President Yoon requested President Mirziyoyev's special attention and support for Korean companies to participate in large-scale transportation infrastructure projects such as high-speed rail and highways. 

In response, President Mirziyoyev welcomed the investment of Korean companies and expressed his willingness to work closely with them to ensure their continued participation. 

The two leaders also agreed to work closely together to expand cooperation in areas such as science and technology and defense, and to work together to further upgrade bilateral relations.