At a regular meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan held via digital system on September 11, Vice-Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov reported on preparations for the state visit of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to the Republic of Korea, as well as for the Turkmen leader's participation in the first "Central Asia – Republic of Korea" Summit, the State News Agency of Turkmenistan reported.

As reported, developing mutually beneficial cooperation with countries around the world is a key aspect of the foreign policy pursued by the President of Turkmenistan. The nation continues to expand and strengthen fruitful partnerships with countries of the Asia-Pacific region, attaching particular importance to cooperation with the Republic of Korea.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1992. To date, 118 interstate, intergovernmental, and interdepartmental documents have been signed, solidifying the legal framework of bilateral relations.

Speaking on political interaction, the Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister noted that high-level visits and meetings between the Presidents of both countries play a vital role in advancing the partnership. In this context, it was highlighted that 5 state, official, and working visits at the level of heads of state have taken place in recent years.

Special emphasis was also placed on the significance of the visit by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Hero-Arkadag to the Republic of Korea in November 2022, which infused new substance into Turkmen-Korean relations.

The two states effectively cooperate within international organizations. As noted, the Republic of Korea consistently supports proposals put forward by Turkmenistan within the United Nations and other authoritative bodies, particularly the constructive initiatives of the President of Turkmenistan.

Concurrently, bilateral trade and economic cooperation continues to grow. At present, 17 investment projects involving Korean companies are registered in Turkmenistan. Major completed projects include a sulfur purification facility at the Galkynysh gas field, a gas-chemical complex for polyethylene and polypropylene production in the village of Kiyanly, among others. Today, several additional projects are being successfully implemented with leading Korean companies.

To coordinate, expand, and systematically strengthen bilateral relations, the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Korean Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technological Cooperation was established in 2008. To date, 9 meetings of the Commission have been held.

Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea have long maintained comprehensive cooperation in science, education, culture, and other socio-humanitarian spheres.

During the upcoming state visit of the Head of State, a number of interstate, intergovernmental, and interdepartmental documents are expected to be signed. These documents are aimed at reinforcing the legal framework of bilateral relations in sectors such as economy, investment, transport, logistics, chemical industry, infrastructure, industrial construction, environment, water management, science, and education.

As noted, interaction between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea is successfully carried out within regional multilateral frameworks, notably through the "Central Asia – Republic of Korea" Cooperation Forum, established at the initiative of the Korean side in 2007. Until 2024, the Forum operated as a multilateral consultative platform at the level of foreign ministers, aimed at fostering trust and building partnerships between the two regions. In 2023, Turkmenistan chaired the Forum, hosting its 16th meeting in Ashgabat. The participation of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in the first "Central Asia – Republic of Korea" Summit during his state visit will mark another important step in deepening multilateral cooperation.

In this regard, Vice-Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov reported on the ongoing preparations for the state visit of the Head of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Korea and his participation in the upcoming Summit. The outcomes of the visit are expected to further expand bilateral and multilateral partnerships, bringing them to a qualitatively new level.

Summarizing the report, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov emphasized that the Republic of Korea is one of Turkmenistan's close partners, with whom productive relations are consistently developing. In this regard, the Head of State instructed the Vice-Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs to thoroughly prepare for the upcoming state visit to the friendly country, as well as for the "Central Asia – Republic of Korea" Summit, the primary goal of which is to advance multilateral cooperation.