Moon holds summit meeting with Uzbek president

President Moon Jae-in held summit talks with visiting Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and discussed ways for Korea to diversify sources of rare earth supply.

In their opening remarks at the summit, the two leaders both called “brother” each other to demonstrate their friendliness. “I welcome my brother-like President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and his delegation to Seoul.” President Mirziyoyev called President Moon “Elder brother,” saying, “As I am with Korean friends, I feel like I am visiting my hometown.”

“I started my first summit meeting of the year virtually with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in January this year, and am holding my last meeting of this year with President Mirziyoyev face to face,” Moon said. “It is very meaningful that I start and end my summit diplomacy with President Mirziyoyev.”

“Using President Mirziyoyev’s visit to Korea as a turning point, Korea will further strengthen cooperation in health, energy and rare earth,” Moon said. “We will firmly join forces in future growth sectors including smart city, smart farm, ICT and electric vehicle along with climate change.” Using the Korea-Uzbek Rare Earth Center, which opened in April 2019 as a hub, the two sides agreed to diversify sources of rare earth supply (for Korea).”

“I constantly support President Moon’s efforts and stance towards peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” President Mirziyoyev said. “I welcome President Moon’s suggestion that an end to the Korean War should be declared sooner rather than later.”


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com