Tajik President Emomali Rahmon yesterday received the Speaker of the National Assembly of South Korea Park Byeong-seug, who is on an official visit to Tajikistan, according to the Tajik president’s official website.  

The two sides reportedly discussed state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral political, economic, scientific, cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Tajikistan and the Republic of Korea.  

It was emphasized that future activities of the joint intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation and expansion of cooperation with the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) could be a key factor for strengthening of relations in this sphere and increase in investment in Tajikistan’s economy, the Tajik president’s official website said.  

The use of mineral resources of Tajikistan, creation of logistic and trade centers in Tajikistan’s free economic zones, cooperation in the banking sphere and preferential loan investment in Tajikistan’s economy were outlined as priorities for expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.  

The sides also expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation between the Government of Tajikistan and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). 

The sides also discussed issues related to prospects of cooperation between Tajikistan and Korea in the fields of tourism, medicine and labor migration, and organization of direct flights between the two countries.  

Currently, more than 200 Tajik students reportedly study in Korean universities and the issue of increasing the student quota for Tajikistan was raised at the meeting.  

O the same day, Korean parliament speaker held talks with Rustam Emomali, Chairman of the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper chamber of parliament). 

Park Byeong-seug (born January 25, 1952) is a South Korean politician and former broadcaster.  He has been the Member of the National Assembly for Daejon West 1st constituency since 2000.  He used to be the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly (2012-2014) and the Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs of Seoul (1999-2000).

Bilateral relations between Tajikistan and the Republic of Korea are in the process of progressive development.  Tajikistan and Korea also effectively cooperate within international and regional organizations. The countries have similar position on many issues of international and regional agenda.

Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Korea were established on April 27, 1992.  Embassy of Tajikistan in the Republic of Korea has been functioning since April 2015 and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Dushanbe has been functioning functions since June 2002.  The legal foundation of cooperation between the two countries includes nine government-to-government agreements.