BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 16. Turkmenistan has disclosed 16 additional bilateral documents signed with South Korea during President Serdar Berdimuhamedov's state visit.
The details were provided by the press service of the Turkmen government following the September 15 talks between the presidents of Turkmenistan and South Korea.
The additional documents cover cooperation between Turkmen and South Korean companies, government agencies, universities, research institutions, media organizations and cultural institutions. They include:
1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Turkmenbashi Complex of Oil Refineries and YUHANTECH CO., LTD on innovation in technical maintenance and production efficiency.
2. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Automobile Transport of Turkmenistan and Hyundai Corporation.
3. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Communications of Turkmenistan and LS Cable & System.
4. Memorandum of Understanding between the State Committee for Water Management of Turkmenistan and Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. on the reconstruction of existing water management facilities along the 850-1100 km section of the Karakum River and the construction of new facilities.
5. Memorandum of Understanding between Balkan Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Plant OJSC and Yousung Co., Ltd.
6. Memorandum of Understanding between the Türkmenhowayollary State Service and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea.
7. Cooperation agreement between the Dovletmammet Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages and Kangwon National University.
8. Memorandum of Understanding between the Institute of Engineering, Technical and Transport Communications of Turkmenistan and the Institute of Global Innovative Research of the Republic of Korea.
9. Memorandum of Understanding between Oguz Han Engineering and Technology University of Turkmenistan and Korea University of Technology and Education (KOREATECH).
10. Memorandum of Understanding between the International University for the Humanities and Development of Turkmenistan and Kyung Hee University.
11. Memorandum of Understanding between the International University for the Humanities and Development of Turkmenistan and Incheon National University.
12. Agreement between the Strategic Studies Center of the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Asian Center of Seoul National University.
13. Memorandum of Understanding between the International Scientific and Technological Park of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan and Seoul National University on scientific and academic cooperation.
14. Cooperation agreement between the State Information Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH) and Yonhap.
15. Memorandum of Understanding between the Turkmen State Institute of Economics and Management and Sungkyunkwan University.
16. Cooperation agreement between the State Cultural Center of the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan and the National Asian Culture Center of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea on cultural exchange.
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.
