ASTANA, Kazakhstan, June 12. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed his support for the initiative to hold the first Central Asia - South Korea summit in Seoul in 2025, proposed by his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol, Trend reports.
"We agreed to further develop dialogue in the Central Asia - South Korea format. Kazakhstan supports the Republic of Korea's K-Silk Road concept. We discussed this issue in detail during today’s negotiations. I endorse the Korean side's proposal to hold the first summit in this format next year in Seoul. This initiative will give a new boost to bilateral and multilateral cooperation," President Tokayev stated during a briefing after the talks.
The leaders also exchanged views on international and regional issues. "We shared our concerns about ongoing conflicts worldwide. We emphasized the need to resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, in strict adherence to the UN Charter and international law. We explored ways to improve approaches to ensuring global security and peace," Tokayev added.
Meanwhile, President Yoon Suk Yeol embarked on his trip to Central Asia on June 10.
As part of this visit, South Korea intends to convene a six-party summit with Central Asian nations next year, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, with the initial round of meetings to be hosted in South Korea.