South Korea and five Central Asian countries discussed ways to expand future cooperation in AI and science and technology.

The Ministry of Science and ICT held the Korea-Central Asia Future AI and Science and Technology Partnership Ministerial Meeting at Seoul Central Post Office on Sept. 14.

The meeting was arranged around the first Korea-Central Asia summit, to be held in Seoul this month. It was chaired by Bae Kyung-hoon (배경훈), deputy prime minister and minister of science and ICT. It was attended by minister-level officials in AI and science and technology from five Central Asian countries including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as Kim Sang-hyup (김상협), secretary general of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), among others.

It was the first time that minister-level officials in AI and science and technology from South Korea and the five Central Asian countries gathered in one place. South Korea has continued cooperative ties with the five Central Asian countries since establishing diplomatic relations in 1992. The meeting discussed ways to identify mutually beneficial future cooperation agendas in AI and science and technology, on the occasion of the first Korea-Central Asia summit.

GGGI introduced plans to expand climate technology demonstration projects using the Climate Technology Acceleration Fund (CTAF). It plans to work with the five Central Asian countries to expand local demonstrations and commercialisation of climate technologies using future innovative technologies.

Bae said, "We formed a consensus on mutually beneficial future cooperation at this ministerial meeting." He added, "I hope AI and science and technology cooperation that combines the strengths of the two regions will expand, along with the successful hosting of the first Korea-Central Asia summit."