Science ministry builds AI partnership with Central Asia

The science ministry announced the adoption of a future AI and science technology partnership initiative with five Central Asian countries during the first Korea-Central Asia Summit.

Under the new framework, Seoul and its partners will collaborate on innovating public services through AI, promoting AI transformation in industrial and public sectors and bridging the AI divide. Cooperation in science and technology will focus on future climate technologies, space, energy transition and resource supply chains, including exchanging personnel to foster talent and conducting joint research tailored to each nation's needs.

The ministry noted that Central Asia holds key minerals such as rare earth elements and possesses high growth potential as a hub in Eurasia. Combining these regional strengths with South Korea's investment in semiconductor, physical AI and AI data center projects is expected to generate significant synergy. This alignment supports Seoul's broader strategy to secure leadership in global AI competition through its '3 Mega Projects' in semiconductors, physical AI and data centers, alongside the '7 SEED Projects' designed to cultivate advanced technologies as future growth engines.

"We have built a 'future Silk Road' connecting the strengths of South Korea and Central Asia by adopting this initiative," Bae Kyung-hoon, deputy prime minister and minister of science and ICT, said. "We will do our best to ensure cooperation between the two regions leads to mutually beneficial common growth through AI and science technology innovation and the construction of core supply chains."

The agreement, titled the Korea-Central Asia Future AI and Science Technology Partnership Initiative, marks the first multilateral cooperation document in these fields between South Korea and the five nations: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.