On 16 March 2026, a launching ceremony for the establishment of a Preparatory Office was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. The Office will coordinate preparations for the first “Central Asia – Republic of Korea” Summit, scheduled to take place in Seoul on 16-17 September 2026.
The event brought together heads and staff of diplomatic missions from Central Asian countries, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. Diplomats from the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Republic of Korea also took part in the ceremony.
The ceremony was opened by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Cho Hyun. In his remarks, he emphasized that the first Summit of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the Republic of Korea will be a highly significant political and diplomatic event, contributing to the further development and expansion of constructive cooperation between the countries.
Highlighting the importance that the Korean side attaches to this high-level Forum, the Minister also noted that the Government of the Republic of Korea has established a dedicated Preparatory office to ensure thorough organizational and protocol preparation for the Summit.
Furthermore, Minister Cho emphasized that close cooperation between the Korean government and the governments of the participating countries is essential for the success of this first summit. He expressed his expectations for active cooperation from relevant ministries and the embassies of Central Asian nations in Korea. The attending diplomatic corps expressed their gratitude for the Korean government’s efforts in preparing for the summit and stated their intention to cooperate closely to ensure a successful event. ///nCa, 18 March 2026