{"id":2150429,"date":"2026-09-16T15:38:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T12:38:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2150429"},"modified":"2026-09-16T15:38:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T12:38:22","slug":"silk-road-spirit-meets-supply-chains-at-korea-central-asia-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2150429","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Silk Road spirit&#8217; meets supply chains at Korea-Central Asia summit"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/58\/21\/1200x675_cmsv2_43708265-9a0d-54e6-9e1d-c8893f67266b-9915821.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2926557-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2926557\" data-cid=\"9918040\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926557-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img 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loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Donald Tusk in the Sejm of the Republic of Poland on 17 September 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Tusk: intelligence sees Russian plan for drone strikes on Poland, allies\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926569-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2926569\" data-cid=\"9917778\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926569-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/77\/78\/189x106_cmsv2_a89ef78c-9ef7-5b7f-91cb-f74b5f2b1dd8-9917778.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"King Charles walks with Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang and Sir Demis Hassabis. 17 September 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    King Charles says AI must be kept under human control\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926602-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2926602\" data-cid=\"9917925\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926602-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/79\/10\/189x106_cmsv2_788f3713-ca7c-5a7f-bad1-71e7d34c8991-9917910.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"In this 1 Aug. 2017 file photo, people queue to enter the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Cloudburst in Florence: rain pours into the Uffizi and historic Palazzo Pitti\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926557-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2926557\" data-cid=\"9918040\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926557-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/77\/16\/189x106_cmsv2_d9d51404-3977-5f18-ad98-d9615f1b67c4-9917716.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Dimitris Avramopoulos (file photo)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Greek parliament lifts Avramopoulos immunity\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article 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the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2926569\" data-cid=\"9917778\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926569-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/77\/78\/189x106_cmsv2_a89ef78c-9ef7-5b7f-91cb-f74b5f2b1dd8-9917778.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"King Charles walks with Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang and Sir Demis Hassabis. 17 September 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Tech News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    King Charles says AI must be kept under human control\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926602-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2926602\" data-cid=\"9917925\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2926602-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/79\/10\/189x106_cmsv2_788f3713-ca7c-5a7f-bad1-71e7d34c8991-9917910.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"In this 1 Aug. 2017 file photo, people queue to enter the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Cloudburst in Florence: rain pours into the Uffizi and historic Palazzo Pitti\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          News<\/p>\n<p>                          World<\/p>\n<p>                          South Korea<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            &#8216;Silk Road spirit&#8217; meets supply chains at Korea-Central Asia summit <\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/58\/21\/1536x864_cmsv2_43708265-9a0d-54e6-9e1d-c8893f67266b-9915821.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Leaders of South Korea and the five Central Asian states attend the first Korea\u2013Central Asia Summit in Seoul, 16 September 2026.\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Leaders of South Korea and the five Central Asian states attend the first Korea\u2013Central Asia Summit in Seoul, 16 September 2026.<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">Centre for the Production of Content of Mass Media under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0Centre for the Production of Content of Mass Media under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspGaliya Khassenkhanova&amp;nbsp&amp;&amp;nbspDilbar Primova\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1789573102\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-09-16 17:38:22 +02:00\">16\/09\/2026 &#8211; 17:38 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay js-c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div 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loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        The leaders of the six nations agreed to deepen cooperation in manufacturing, technology and transport, with a stronger focus on regional value chains. The new format will meet again at the leaders\u2019 level in Kazakhstan in 2028.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>South Korea and the five Central Asian republics held their first heads-of-state summit in Seoul on Wednesday, adopting a 30-year cooperation framework targeting critical minerals, energy, supply chains and emerging technologies against the backdrop of a shared Silk Road history.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The declaration established a leaders\u2019 summit that brings together South Korea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan every two years, and a new mechanism that brings together the six countries\u2019 industry ministers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe \u2018Silk Road spirit\u2019 of Central Asia that connected people, technologies and cultures of the East and West as one is needed more than ever,\u201d South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said.<\/p>\n<p>The six countries share common goals: Seoul needs more diverse sources of critical materials and more resilient supply chains, while Central Asian governments want technology, investment and a larger role in manufacturing the products made from their resources.<\/p>\n<p>On critical minerals, South Korea is looking to diversify supplies for industries including semiconductors, batteries and electric vehicles, while Central Asian countries want more processing and manufacturing to take place inside the region.<\/p>\n<p>The Seoul Declaration, which builds on a dialogue launched at the vice-ministerial level in 2007 and later elevated to the ministerial level, calls for \u201cmutually beneficial value chains\u201d that combine Central Asian resources and local production with Korean technology and manufacturing expertise.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday, Central Asia is no longer merely a supplier of raw materials,\u201d Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said. \u201cOur countries are actively integrating into global value chains while expanding opportunities for innovation and technological cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.645\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/58\/21\/808x521_cmsv2_aa88fa71-8146-53cc-8a81-ddfe7590599f-9915821.jpg\" alt=\"The leaders of South Korea and the five Central Asian states pose for a group photo at the first Korea\u2013Central Asia Summit in Seoul, 16 September 2026.\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">The leaders of South Korea and the five Central Asian states pose for a group photo at the first Korea\u2013Central Asia Summit in Seoul, 16 September 2026.<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Press office of Kazakhstan President<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan has all 10 minerals classified by South Korea as strategic, and called for cooperation extending into semiconductors, batteries, electric-vehicle components and robotics.<\/p>\n<p>Mirziyoyev proposed a Regional Investment Alliance for Critical Minerals covering the full production cycle, and set a $20 billion (\u20ac17.3 billion) target for trade between South Korea and Central Asia by 2030.<\/p>\n<p>Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov pushed the regional approach further, proposing a joint investment fund to finance priority projects and make it easier for Korean companies to enter Central Asian markets.<\/p>\n<h2>Transport chain reaching Europe<\/h2>\n<p>Transport was another key segment to the summit, with Tokayev proposing an \u201cend-to-end transport and logistics chain extending from Korea, through Central Asia, to Europe\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Central to that idea is the Middle Corridor, formally known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. It moves freight through Central Asia, across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan and Georgia, and onwards towards European markets through Turkey or the Black Sea.<\/p>\n<p>The corridor has attracted growing attention as companies and governments seek alternatives to routes through Russia. Tokayev said its freight volumes had increased fivefold over the past six years.<\/p>\n<p>Mirziyoyev also described Central Asia as an emerging \u201chub of global connectivity\u201d, while Japarov highlighted the China\u2013Kyrgyzstan\u2013Uzbekistan railway and invited Korean companies to participate in industrial and logistics facilities along the route.<\/p>\n<p>Turkmenistan put transport, logistics, energy and industrial cooperation among its priorities for deeper ties with South Korea.<\/p>\n<p>Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, meanwhile, focused on water security, climate change and sustainable development.<\/p>\n<h2>From political strategy to business<\/h2>\n<p>The regional agenda moved from the leaders\u2019 table to the business community later in the day, when more than 500 government and company representatives gathered for the first Korea\u2013Central Asia Business Summit.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.666\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/58\/21\/808x539_cmsv2_b3f818b1-5b61-5f1f-b34b-0ec9c0f1cef5-9915821.jpg\" alt=\"Government and business leaders attend the first Korea\u2013Central Asia Business Summit in Seoul, 16 September 2026.\"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Government and business leaders attend the first Korea\u2013Central Asia Business Summit in Seoul, 16 September 2026.<\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Centre for the Production of Content of Mass Media under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Lee Jae-myung described the priorities in practical terms: broader trade and investment, cooperation across the critical-minerals value chain and new infrastructure connecting the region with international markets.<\/p>\n<p>Tokayev pointed to Central Asia\u2019s combined GDP of nearly $550 billion and growth of more than 6%.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCombining these advantages with Korea\u2019s industrial, technological and financial capabilities opens up broad prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Mirziyoyev similarly urged Korean companies to view Central Asia as a single market of more than 80 million people, with opportunities in AI, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing.<\/p>\n<p>Tokayev, meanwhile, pointed to transport infrastructure and technology as areas where Korean investment could strengthen connections across the Eurasian continent.<\/p>\n<p>Nineteen memorandums of understanding were signed during the regional business summit in sectors including critical minerals, industry, infrastructure and digital technologies. They set out areas for future cooperation but are not, in themselves, final investment contracts.<\/p>\n<p>The regional meetings in Seoul ran alongside separate bilateral talks and business programmes between South Korea and individual Central Asian states. <\/p>\n<p>Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were among the countries announcing national agreements and investment projects during their leaders\u2019 visits.<\/p>\n<p>The new C5+Korea format will meet again at the leaders\u2019 level in Kazakhstan in 2028.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Euronews Debates: unlocking Kazakhstan\u2019s potential as a regional trade hub<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Sniffing out trouble: Customs dogs remain vital in the age of AI<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Nearly $12bn project pipeline gives new weight to Seoul \u2013Tashkent ties in minerals, AI and transport<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Central Asia<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Kazakhstan<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  South Korea<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Uzbekistan<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tp-vuukle\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__header\"><span class=\"c-vuukle-skeleton__title\">Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" 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id=\"abe-2926249-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926249\" data-cid=\"9916022\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Metsola: Australia, New Zealand could be next EU &#8216;associated members&#8217;<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926399-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926399\" data-cid=\"9916763\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Mark Carney&#8217;s speech in the EU Parliament as it happened<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926136-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926136\" data-cid=\"9915431\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Canada invited to become first &#8216;associate member&#8217; of the EU<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926208-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926208\" data-cid=\"9915784\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe versus the US: The world\u2019s best cities in 2026 ranked<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2926342-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2926342\" data-cid=\"9916506\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Trump threatens EU over &#8216;hostile&#8217; plan to make Canada associate member<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">South Korea and the five Central Asian republics held their first heads-of-state summit in Seoul on Wednesday, adopting a 30-year cooperation framework targeting critical minerals, energy, supply chains and emerging technologies against the backdrop of a shared Silk Road history.The declaration established a leaders\u2019 summit that brings together South Korea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan every two years, and a new mechanism that brings together the six countries\u2019 industry ministers.\u201cThe \u2018Silk Road spirit\u2019 of Central Asia that connected people, technologies and cultures of the East and West as one is needed more than ever,\u201d South Korean President Lee Jae-myung said.The six countries share common goals: Seoul needs more diverse sources of critical materials and more resilient supply chains, while Central Asian governments want technology, investment and a larger role in manufacturing the products made from their resources.On critical minerals, South Korea is looking to diversify supplies for industries including semiconductors, batteries and electric vehicles, while Central Asian countries want more processing and manufacturing to take place inside the region.The Seoul Declaration, which builds on a dialogue launched at the vice-ministerial level in 2007 and later elevated to the ministerial level, calls for \u201cmutually beneficial value chains\u201d that combine Central Asian resources and local production with Korean technology and manufacturing expertise.\u201cToday, Central Asia is no longer merely a supplier of raw materials,\u201d Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said. \u201cOur countries are actively integrating into global value chains while expanding opportunities for innovation and technological cooperation.\u201dPresident Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan has all 10 minerals classified by South Korea as strategic, and called for cooperation extending into semiconductors, batteries, electric-vehicle components and robotics.Mirziyoyev proposed a Regional Investment Alliance for Critical Minerals covering the full production cycle, and set a $20 billion (\u20ac17.3 billion) target for trade between South Korea and Central Asia by 2030.Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov pushed the regional approach further, proposing a joint investment fund to finance priority projects and make it easier for Korean companies to enter Central Asian markets.Transport chain reaching EuropeTransport was another key segment to the summit, with Tokayev proposing an \u201cend-to-end transport and logistics chain extending from Korea, through Central Asia, to Europe\u201d.Central to that idea is the Middle Corridor, formally known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. It moves freight through Central Asia, across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan and Georgia, and onwards towards European markets through Turkey or the Black Sea.The corridor has attracted growing attention as companies and governments seek alternatives to routes through Russia. Tokayev said its freight volumes had increased fivefold over the past six years.Mirziyoyev also described Central Asia as an emerging \u201chub of global connectivity\u201d, while Japarov highlighted the China\u2013Kyrgyzstan\u2013Uzbekistan railway and invited Korean companies to participate in industrial and logistics facilities along the route.Turkmenistan put transport, logistics, energy and industrial cooperation among its priorities for deeper ties with South Korea.Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, meanwhile, focused on water security, climate change and sustainable development.From political strategy to businessThe regional agenda moved from the leaders\u2019 table to the business community later in the day, when more than 500 government and company representatives gathered for the first Korea\u2013Central Asia Business Summit.Lee Jae-myung described the priorities in practical terms: broader trade and investment, cooperation across the critical-minerals value chain and new infrastructure connecting the region with international markets.Tokayev pointed to Central Asia\u2019s combined GDP of nearly $550 billion and growth of more than 6%.\u201cCombining these advantages with Korea\u2019s industrial, technological and financial capabilities opens up broad prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation,\u201d he said.Mirziyoyev similarly urged Korean companies to view Central Asia as a single market of more than 80 million people, with opportunities in AI, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing.Tokayev, meanwhile, pointed to transport infrastructure and technology as areas where Korean investment could strengthen connections across the Eurasian continent.Nineteen memorandums of understanding were signed during the regional business summit in sectors including critical minerals, industry, infrastructure and digital technologies. They set out areas for future cooperation but are not, in themselves, final investment contracts.The regional meetings in Seoul ran alongside separate bilateral talks and business programmes between South Korea and individual Central Asian states.Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were among the countries announcing national agreements and investment projects during their leaders\u2019 visits.The new C5+Korea format will meet again at the leaders\u2019 level in Kazakhstan in 2028.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/09\/16\/silk-road-spirit-meets-supply-chains-at-korea-central-asia-summit&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/91\/58\/21\/1200x675_cmsv2_43708265-9a0d-54e6-9e1d-c8893f67266b-9915821.jpg&#8221;] Europe News Greek parliament lifts Avramopoulos immunity Europe News Tusk: intelligence sees Russian plan for drone strikes on Poland, allies Tech News King Charles says AI must be kept under human control Culture news Cloudburst in Florence: rain pours into the Uffizi and historic Palazzo Pitti Europe News Greek parliament lifts Avramopoulos [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2150429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2150429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2150429"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2150429\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2150429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2150429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2150429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}