The Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) hosted key figures from prominent think tanks in the field of Central Asia strategic research on Wednesday, November 22. During the visit, discussions were held with KIEP President Siwook Lee and Minhyeon Jeong, Head of the Russia and Eurasia Team, on the overall economic cooperation between Korea and Central Asia.

The visiting delegation included such high-profile figures as Secretary for Academic and Research Affairs Assel Nazarbetova of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan), Director Aziz Kanatbek of the National Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan), Director Khairidin Usmonzoda of the Centre for Strategic Research under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan (Tajikistan) and Acting Director Fanil Kadirov of the International Institute for Central Asia (Uzbekistan).

The delegation expressed its hopes for cooperation with Korea in the fields of manufacturing, mineral resources, energy (response to climate change), and people-to-people and cultural exchanges. In particular, they mentioned expectations for cooperation with Korea in high value-added industrial processes, expansion of export competitiveness, and construction and improvement of infrastructure. In addition, they highlighted the rich reserves of strategic minerals, including rare earth elements, in their countries and assessed the high potential for cooperation with Korea.

KIEP President Siwook Lee highlighted the increasing uncertainty in the international trade environment and stressed the importance of cooperation among think tanks. He described the discussions with key figures from Central Asian think tanks as timely and significant at a time when the Korean government is seeking to expand cooperation with Central Asia.

- Title: Visit of key figures from Central Asia Strategic Research Think Tanks

- Date: November 22, 2023 (Wednesday), 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM

- Venue: Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP)

- Contact: Minhyeon Jeong, Head of the and Eurasia Team (mjeong@kiep.go.kr)