Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Speaking at the expert forum on the topic “Strategic dialogue Central Asia - Republic of Korea: prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation,” held on 11 December Tashkent, Park Hyun Joo - journalist of the Korean newspaper "Chun’an Ilbo" placed special emphasis on the issues of strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties between Central Asia and South Korea.

According to the expert, Uzbekistan has historically been the driver for the development of relations between the Korean Peninsula and Central Asian states in this direction. This is confirmed by an ancient fresco with images of Korean diplomats, presented in the Afrosiab Museum in Samarkand. This place is especially revered among Koreans from all over the world.

Another special feature of Uzbekistan for Korea is that the republic is home to the largest Korean diaspora in Central Asia, which numbers about 500 thousand people.

As a result of this, processes occur such as the complementarity of cultures, value transformation and synergy. This trend gives Uzbekistan a special place in the cultural dialogue with South Korea.

Summarizing the above factors, the expert called for an even greater intensification of cultural exchanges between the Central Asian region and the Republic of Korea using the example of the experience of Uzbek-Korean cultural communication.

At the expert forum organized by ISMI in partnership with the Korean Center for International Regional Studies at the Hankuk 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 Central Asian countries and the Republic Korea.

From the Korean side, the event was attended by Director of the Center for International Regional Studies Kang Jun 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 Jung, Special Rapporteur of the Office of the President of the Republic of Korea Om Narin, professors and experts from the Agency for Research Projects on National Strategies, etc.