President Lee to Hold Successive Summit Talks with Leaders of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan Today

President Lee Jae-myung continues his second day of relay summit diplomacy with five Central Asian countries by holding consecutive talks with the leaders of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

President Lee will welcome the leaders of both countries as state guests and hold official schedules, including summit talks and luncheons or banquets, said Senior Presidential Secretary for Public Relations Kang Yu-jung in a written briefing.

President Lee will first hold a summit talk with President Serdar Berdimuhamedow today to exchange wide-ranging views on overall pending issues, including ways to promote practical bilateral cooperation and regional and international affairs.

Following the talks, a total of 13 bilateral government agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) will be exchanged in the presence of the two leaders.

A state luncheon will follow, attended by around 50 figures from various sectors of both countries.

The luncheon menu will feature authentic Korean cuisine tailored to President Berdimuhamedow's preferences, harmonizing the food cultures and ingredients of both nations.

President Lee plans to present President Berdimuhamedow, who enjoys horseback riding, with a chilbo (cloisonné) framed artwork depicting the hunting scene from the Muyongchong (Dancing Tomb) recreated using traditional cloisonné techniques.

Later, President Lee will hold a summit with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, followed by a state banquet.

The two leaders plan to discuss in-depth future cooperative tasks between the two countries, spanning economy and trade, energy and critical minerals, AI and science and technology, and interpersonal and cultural exchanges.

Notably, on the occasion of this summit, bilateral relations will be upgraded to a "future-oriented comprehensive strategic partnership" for the first time in 17 years.

The Blue House expects that through cooperation extending beyond the existing trade and investment sectors into economic security, advanced industries, and science and technology as a whole, the two countries will establish a more advanced foundation for strategic cooperation.

After the talks, an exchange ceremony for a total of 13 government-to-government MOUs will also be held in the presence of the two leaders.

About 50 figures from various walks of life from both countries will attend the ensuing state banquet.

The banquet will serve Korean cuisine reflecting President Tokayev's preferences and characteristics of Kazakhstan.

Considering that President Tokayev's favorite sport is table tennis and that Kazakhstan will host the World Taekwondo Championships next year, President Lee has prepared premium table tennis rackets engraved with both national flags and a Taekwondo uniform as gifts.

During the official welcoming events held prior to the respective summits with the leaders of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, about 70 members including a traditional honor guard and a chwita (traditional military band) will escort the vehicles of each country's leader from the entrance of the Blue House.

Senior Secretary Kang stated that a grand welcoming ceremony will take place, with a total of around 280 personnel, including the three-service honor guard, lining up, alongside a 30-member children's welcoming group including 10 children from each country to greet the two leaders.

As a sign of respect for the visiting state guests, the government will display the South Korean flag and the respective national flags on the Lotte World Tower media facade and the exterior electronic billboard of the Government Complex Seoul, while displaying welcoming messages in Korean and Turkmen, and Korean and Kazakh, respectively.

Ahead of the South Korea-Central Asia Summit scheduled for the 16th, President Lee is holding bilateral summits sequentially with the five participating countries.

He held a summit with Uzbekistan the previous day, and talks with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan will follow on the 16th.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.