PM says resource-rich Central Asian nations are ‘key partners’

SEOUL, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Tuesday that the countries of Central Asia are "key partners" to South Korea as they boast an abundance of resources, including natural gas and critical minerals. Han made the remark during a Cabinet meeting as President Yoon Suk Yeol has been on a three-nation tour of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan this week. "Central Asia is a very important strategic location and land of opportunity for us," he said. "At a time when global resource cooperation is more important than ever, Central Asian nations that possess rich resources, such as natural gas and critical minerals, are our key partners." Han stressed that close cooperation between the private sector and the government, and speedy follow-up measures, will be important to ensure the achievements of the president's summit diplomacy lead to economic revival and stabilization of people's livelihoods. He instructed all ministries to work to ensure no vacuum in state affairs while the president is overseas, spe cially citing the need to maintain a firm security posture against North Korean provocations and prepare for unusually heavy rains and high temperatures this summer. Source: Yonhap News Agency