On September 19, 2023, the first forum of speakers of parliaments of Central Asia and the Republic of Korea took place in Seoul. The event was attended by speakers from six countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea, reports the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
The head of the Turkmen delegation, Chairman of the Mejlis Dunyagozel Gulmanova, in her speech emphasized that the initiative to create the forum was put forward in November 2022 by the National Leader of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov during an official visit to the Republic of Korea.
The forum participants discussed the priorities of regional cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the countries of Central Asia for the near future. The areas of energy, infrastructure, effective water resource management, industrial diversification, finance, education, healthcare and tourism were identified as priority areas for further cooperation.
As a result of the forum, a Joint Declaration was adopted, according to which the parties agreed to hold the second Meeting of Speakers of Parliaments of Central Asian countries and the Republic of Korea in 2024 in Ashgabat.
As part of the forum, the Korean side organized a photo exhibition dedicated to the historical and cultural ties between the peoples of the countries of Central Asia and the Republic of Korea. A ceremony for drinking traditional tea was also organized in Central Asian countries and the Republic of Korea.