SEOUL, March 05 (AJP) - Uzbekistan is positioning itself as a central transport and logistics hub in Central Asia by leveraging its geographic location and expanding infrastructure partnerships with South Korea, a top envoy said.
"True diplomacy is when political dialogue turns into production chains, investments and jobs," Uzbekistan Ambassador Alisher Abdusalomov told AJP in an exclusive interview Wednesday.
Without direct access to the sea, the country relies heavily on railway networks for Eurasian freight and passenger transport.
That strategy has recently advanced with the arrival of a high-speed train manufactured by South Korean defense and rolling stock producer Hyundai Rotem. The train, named Jaloliddin Manguberdi, is currently undergoing test runs for the Tashkent–Khiva line.
"High-speed rail is not only the speed of movement. It is the speed of economic transformation," Abdusalomov said, adding that the government is looking beyond simple procurement toward establishing comprehensive service centers capable of technical maintenance, major repairs and localized assembly of train components.
"Purchasing equipment is the first step. Forming industrial competence is the strategic goal," the envoy said. "Whoever maintains the infrastructure becomes its strategic center. We are not just looking to operate modern trains but to become part of the global railway industry."
This infrastructure overhaul anchors the Uzbekistan-2030 strategy, a national development plan aimed at elevating the country into the world's top 50 economies. Achieving its economic and social welfare targets requires extensive digital transformation, prompting the government to propose expanding South Korea's e-government, intelligent logistics and big data solutions across Central Asia.
The collaboration also extends to physical infrastructure through public-private partnerships, highlighted by the ongoing modernization of Urgench International Airport with Incheon International Airport Corporation. Abdusalomov said the project will serve as a regulatory model for the planned New Tashkent International Airport and future smart city systems.
"Modern infrastructure starts not with concrete, but with management philosophy," he said.
As global economies transition toward digital and green technologies, demand for critical minerals such as copper and lithium has surged. South Korea currently chairs the Minerals Security Partnership Forum, or FORGE initiative, aimed at strengthening global supply chains.
Uzbekistan possesses vast reserves of these minerals but is rejecting the traditional raw-material export model in favor of building full-cycle industrial clusters. The foundation for this effort was laid in 2019 with the establishment of a joint rare metals research center in Uzbekistan, developed in cooperation with the Korea Institute for Rare Metals.
"The technological future begins with sustainable access to resources," Abdusalomov said. "We are not discussing abstract prospects — we are already building a joint scientific and production infrastructure."
Resource integration is expected to be a key agenda item at the inaugural Korea–Central Asia Summit, which aligns with South Korea's initiative aimed at connecting the regions through technological and industrial networks.
South Korea ranked among the top four foreign direct investors in Uzbekistan around 2017 but has since slipped to around 10th place following a surge of capital inflows from China, Russia, Turkey and European Union countries. Restoring South Korea to a top-three position is now a key objective for the Uzbek embassy.
To attract investment, Abdusalomov outlined a range of institutional incentives for foreign businesses, including broad tax exemptions, reduced customs fees and state support for infrastructure development. He also highlighted Uzbekistan's macroeconomic stability, predictable exchange rates and its status as the most populous country in Central Asia.
He added that political agreements expected at the upcoming summit require long-term vision.
"Strong states are recognized not by the loudness of their declarations, but by their ability to think decades ahead and consistently implement the decisions they make," he said.
Officials from both countries are currently drafting the financial and institutional mechanisms required to implement the proposed industrial, digital and transport projects ahead of the inaugural summit, scheduled for the second half of this year.
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