INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS BETWEEN SOUTH KOREA AND UZBEKISTAN

South Korea-Uzbekistan relations are the international relations between South Korea and Uzbekistan. South Korea became the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to recognize independence of Uzbekistan in December 1991. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in January 1992. Bilateral relations have grown steadily since that time. Cooperation between the two nations has grown in political, economic, and educational spheres. South Korea and Uzbekistan formally established diplomatic relations in January 1992. Soon thereafter South Korea opened its embassy in Tashkent, and Uzbekistan opened its embassy in Seoul.[2] Uzbek president Islam Karimov made eight official visits to South Korea, in 1992, 1995, 1999, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2015. During his visit to South Korea in 2006, Karimov was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Seoul, by then Mayor of Seoul Lee Myung-bak. In 1994, South Korean president Kim Young-sam visited Uzbekistan. In 2004, President Roh Moo-hyun visited Uzbekistan. His successor, Lee Myung-bak, visited Uzbekistan twice in 2009 and 2011. President Park Geun-hye visited Uzbekistan in 2014 where she and President Karimov signed several agreements to strengthen economic and investment cooperation and technology exchange between the two countries.