At the request of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev, President Moon Jae-in spoke by phone to him for 25 minutes from 3:00 o’clock this afternoon. The two Presidents discussed how to closely follow through on agreements to advance bilateral ties, which were reached during the Uzbek President’s state visit to Korea in November last year, and how to work together for the success of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

President Moon began by offering his deepest sympathy for the loss of many Uzbek passengers aboard a bus that caught fire on a road in Kazakhstan on January 18. The bus was traveling from Uzbekistan to Russia through Kazakhstan. President Mirziyoev thanked President Moon for his consolation, saying it was a great comfort in a difficult time. 

The two heads of state noted that President Mirziyoev’s state visit to Korea last year laid the cornerstone for traditionally friendly relations between the two countries to evolve into a forward-looking partnership. They also agreed to continue to seek out measures to increase concrete, substantive cooperation through a Korea-Uzbekistan deputy prime ministers meeting for economic affairs scheduled for next month and on other occasions.

Expressing the hope that Uzbekistan’s national innovation efforts in the areas of the society and economy would achieve a good outcome, President Moon said Korea would actively work together in the process. 

In reply, President Mirziyoyev explained that former General Director of Chonnam National University Hospital Yoon Taek-rim and President of the Korean Institute of Personnel Development Kim Yoon-se had started working as a advisor to the Minister of Health and Minister of Employment and Labor Relations, respectively, of the Republic of Uzbekistan, starting this year. He then expressed the hope that people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between the two nations would serve as a bridge to further develop bilateral ties. 

Congratulating President Moon on his 65th birthday, President Mirziyoyev expressed the hope that President Moon would be able to visit Uzbekistan at the earliest date possible to continue consultation on further deepening Korea-Uzbekistan strategic partnership and developing bilateral relations. 

President Moon said the PyeongChang Olympics would become a valuable opportunity to pave the way for peacefully solving the North Korean nuclear issue and establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula, asking for interest and support from President Mirziyoyev and the people of Uzbekistan for a successful Olympics.