S.Korea to hold 1st summit with Central Asian nations on September 16-17

South Korea will hold its first summit with Central Asian countries later this year, in what will mark another opportunity to expand its diplomacy with the region, the foreign ministry said Thursday, Report informs.

The summit between South Korea and the five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - will take place on Sept. 16 and 17, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said during a summit preparatory meeting.

Cho said the summit will serve as an important occasion for South Korea to expand its diplomatic horizon through continued efforts to build on the New Northern Policy, the ministry said.

The New Northern Policy was an initiative of the former liberal Moon Jae-in government aimed at enhancing cooperation with Central Asian countries under the vision of peace and joint prosperity in Eurasia.

Cho noted the summit will not only strengthen mutual cooperation with Central Asian nations, but also lay the groundwork for collaboration in such areas as supply chain diversification and to better address ethnic Korean communities in the region.