South Korean Embassy in Bishkek hosts media event ahead of inaugural Central Asia-Republic of Korea Summit
AKIPRESS.COM – The inaugural Central Asia-Republic of Korea Summit will take place on September 16-17, 2026.
The leaders of the five Central Asian states—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—and South Korea will meet in Seoul to elevate regional cooperation to a new level across the political, economic, and cultural spheres.
The summit will serve as an important occasion for South Korea to expand its diplomatic horizon to build on the “New Northern Policy,” which is aimed at enhancing cooperation with Central Asian countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea stated in an earlier official announcement.
The Central Asian leaders will hold bilateral meetings with President Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of the summit.
On July 3, 2026, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an official launch ceremony for a youth diplomatic initiative aimed to generate domestic public interest and build international momentum ahead of the upcoming first Korea–Central Asia Summit.
This group comprises 20 young people, including 10 South Korean citizens and 10 youth representatives from Central Asian countries. The group of young ambassadors will conduct a comprehensive three-month campaign to create and distribute creative online content.
A business dinner with media representatives, organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Bishkek, was also dedicated to the theme of the first summit and the promotion of bilateral ties between South Korea and the Kyrgyz Republic.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador Kim Kwang-jae noted that bilateral trade turnover between the countries has grown to $1.7 billion. The South Korean government’s project portfolio in Kyrgyzstan covers socio-economic development, agriculture, ecology, healthcare, and IT. Furthermore, the Korean government introduced advanced voting technologies to Kyrgyzstan to automate electoral processes. This implementation has advanced even further in Kyrgyzstan than in Korea, as the ballot boxes automatically identify and reject invalid ballots.
Ambassador Kim Kwang-jae announced that allocation of a $500 million credit line is considered under the agreement originally signed in 2024. The funds are primarily slated for healthcare initiatives, including construction of new facilities for the Infectious Diseases Hospital and the National Hospital, for which feasibility studies are currently being developed. Financing is planned to support road construction projects, procurement of road maintenance equipment, and the acquisition of two helicopters. The Ambassador noted that the matter is currently under review by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Korea, adding that project implementation is temporarily delayed due to the international situation and the depreciation of the Korean won. Consequently, the budget is undergoing a revision, although the originally signed agreement stands at $500 million.
The Ambassador also noted that Kyrgyzstan is growing increasingly popular among South Korean tourists, with their numbers reaching 20,000 visitors annually in recent years.
Medical tourism to the Republic of Korea emerged as another distinct topic of discussion. The Director of the Almaty office of the Korea National Tourism Organization noted that South Korea is rapidly becoming the world’s leading destination for medical tourism. The country boasts the highest cancer survival rate in the world at 70.4%. More than 2.01 million foreign patients visited South Korea in 2025, representing a 72% increase compared to the previous year. The number of medical tourists from Kyrgyzstan reached 1,019 in 2024.
To further promote medical tourism, representatives from leading Korean medical institutions that have received state accreditation to treat foreign patients arrived in Bishkek to establish connections with local travel agencies.
Despite the advanced level of medical technology, the cost of treatment in South Korea remains highly reasonable and is significantly lower than in the United States or Europe, making it more accessible for citizens of Kyrgyzstan.
