S. Korea, Kyrgyzstan ink Comprehensive Partnership

The leaders of South Korea and Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday inked the Comprehensive Partnership at the summit in Seoul, elevating the bilateral ties for the first time since the two established their diplomatic relations 32 years ago.

President Yoon Suk Yeol received Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, the first Kyrgyz leader to have visited South Korea in 11 years. Yoon and Japarov last held bilateral talks in September 2023 on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Yoon said during the summit that Seoul "is paying attention to the strategic significance that Central Asia holds as a bridge between Asia and Europe," adding Kyrgyzstan is a crucial partner for cooperation in the Central Asia.

Japarov said his trip to South Korea could "leverage (its) traditional friendship" with South Korea, adding the country would work to "strengthen mutual cooperation in various fields."

On the occasion of the summit, Yoon and Japarov affirmed in a joint statement that the elevated ties would lay a foundation for mutually beneficial partnerships, especially in the fields of trade, investment, development cooperation, climate action and green energy supply.

A total of 10 documents were signed while Yoon and Japarov were in attendance at the summit at the presidential office.

Notably, South Korea and Kyrgyzstan agreed to cooperate in the field of mining and hydropower plants.

According to Yoon's office, Kyrgyzstan's significant amount of antimony reserve could open the way for its supply chain cooperation with South Korea, a secondary battery manufacturing powerhouse home to battery makers like LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and SK On.

As of January, Kyrgyzstan holds an estimated 13 percent of the global reserves of antimony -- a material that could be used to prevent the spread of flames in case of a battery thermal runaway -- according to the US Geological Survey. Despite being the fourth-largest country by the antimony reserve after China, Russia and Bolivia, Kyrgyzstan saw its output account for 0.05 percent.

Also, South Korea asked for Kyrgyzstan's support to foster a friendly environment for a South Korean entity to join a small-scale hydropower plant construction project, through a memorandum of understanding signed Tuesday. About 90 percent of electricity is generated through hydropower plants in Kyrgyzstan, according to Yoon's office.

The two countries will work to adopt the Trade and Investment Promotion Framework and prevent double taxation through the term renewal.

They also signed a framework arrangement for South Korea's aid loan through the Economic Development Cooperation Fund, building on the momentum for development aid projects in Kyrgyzstan to refurbish a state-run hospital.

In the joint statement adopted, Yoon and Japarov stressed that a complete denuclearization of North Korea could contribute to peace in the Korean Peninsula and the world. The two leaders, however, did not comment on the ongoing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia that Seoul, the US and NATO believe is aggravating the Ukraine war.

Yoon's meeting with Japarov comes along with Seoul's so-called "K-Silk Road Initiative" aimed at expanding South Korea's participation in Central Asia's infrastructure development projects and nurturing its cooperation with the region in critical minerals supply chain.

In June, Yoon met leaders of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to herald its new strategic framework toward Central Asia. Yoon plans to host leaders of five Central Asian countries to hold the inaugural multilateral summit in South Korea.