From Samsung to Hyundai. Mirziyoyev proposed that Korean corporations establish production facilities in Uzbekistan
From Samsung to Hyundai. Mirziyoyev proposed that Korean corporations establish production facilities in Uzbekistan
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has proposed that Korean giants — Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Kia, Lotte, and other major corporations — abandon the import model and transition to establishing localized high-tech hubs with a full production cycle in Uzbekistan. According to him, this initiative will elevate cooperation with the Republic of Korea to the level of a "new Silk Road" and allow for deeper integration of the two countries in the fields of high technology, industry, and the processing of critical minerals.
This was stated in an article by the head of state published in the South Korean edition of The Chosun Ilbo in connection with his state visit to Seoul.
In his publication, Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that the economic interests of Tashkent and Seoul fully align: Uzbekistan aims for deep integration into global value chains, while South Korea is interested in diversifying resource supplies and stable markets.
The article emphasizes that the foundation for this partnership is already very solid: the volume of Korean investments in Uzbekistan's economy has exceeded 8 billion dollars, more than 700 joint projects are being implemented in the republic, and bilateral trade turnover has increased fivefold in recent years. Joint programs through KOICA and the Exim Bank of Korea (EDCF) have exceeded 3.5 billion dollars, and Uzbekistan became the first country in the region to purchase South Korean high-speed trains.
Among the priority areas for technological hubs are artificial intelligence, semiconductors, microelectronics, electric vehicle manufacturing, robotics, biopharmaceuticals, and "smart" agriculture. A special emphasis is placed on combining Uzbekistan's rich resources with Seoul's advanced technologies to form new supply chains.
The publication also notes the importance of developing human capital: expanding academic exchanges, establishing R&D centers, and joint training of personnel.
"One horse cannot raise dust," the head of state quotes an Uzbek proverb, comparing it with the Korean wisdom that joint labor makes any task easier.
In addition, the article speaks of the cultural closeness of the two peoples, shared values, support for Seoul's efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula, and also contains a personal invitation to South Koreans to visit Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Termez, and Tashkent.
During the visit, Shavkat Mirziyoyev will hold talks with President Lee Jae-myung, and on September 16, he will participate in the first "Central Asia – Republic of Korea" summit, following which the Seoul Declaration is planned to be adopted.