BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 15. South Korea has expressed interest for its companies to participate in future railway modernization projects in Turkmenistan.
This was announced in a statement published by the press service of the President of the Republic of Korea on September 15.
According to the statement, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung asked Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to support Korean companies with advanced technical capabilities and experience in participating in future railway modernization projects in Turkmenistan.
"The two leaders agreed to turn cooperation potential into concrete results in areas including railways and new city construction," the press release says.
Meanwhile, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov is paying a state visit to South Korea and taking part in the first Central Asia-Republic of Korea Summit in Seoul on September 16-17. The summit brings together the leaders of South Korea and the five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan - marking the first elevation of the Korea-Central Asia dialogue to the leaders’ level. Seoul has said the summit is intended to deepen regional cooperation and produce practical results for the participating countries.
For Turkmenistan, the summit is taking place alongside a state visit and bilateral negotiations with the South Korean leadership. During South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's state visit to Turkmenistan in June 2024, the two countries signed a memorandum aimed at strengthening cooperation in areas including the economy and investment, culture, education, communications and human exchanges. Turkmenistan also expressed support for Seoul's K-Silk Road initiative, which South Korea presented as its comprehensive strategy for expanding cooperation with the five Central Asian countries.
The current summit is therefore taking place against the backdrop of an effort by Seoul to elevate its cooperation with Central Asia to the leaders' level.
