Yoon to pay state visits to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan next week

President Yoon Suk Yeol will pay state visits to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan next week, his office said Friday. Yoon will embark on the six-day trip Monday, accompanied by first lady Kim Keon Hee and visit the three Central Asian nations through June 15, according to Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo. "Central Asia, which was the center of the ancient Silk Road, is a strategic point connecting Europe and Asia," Kim said during a press briefing. "The strategic importance is growing further as the global polycrisis spreads due to factors, such as the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East." Source: Yonhap News Agency