Uzbekistan to Help S. Korean Firms Seal Infrastructure Deals

Uzbekistan's Vice Prime Minister Sardor Umurzakov pledged government assistance to South Korean companies in sealing infrastructure projects in his country.

Umurzakov, who handles governmental matters on investments and foreign economic ties, made the pledge while videoconferencing with South Korea's Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki.

The two officials also agreed to hasten their joint study on a potential free trade agreement between Uzbekistan and South Korea.

The cooperation between the governments of both countries has resulted in projects for South Korea's SK Engineering & Construction Co. (SK E&C)

Last year, SK E&C signed a memorandum of understanding for a $200 million power plant modernization project in Uzbekistan with the Uzbek energy ministry and the Korea Energy Agency.

SK E&C also signed a collaboration agreement with Uzbekistan oil and gas company Uzbekneftegaz to modernize the latter's Bukhara refinery. It is also set to sign a renovation and modernization project for a Mubarek power plant in 2021 after it completes a feasibility study in the first half of this year.

Umurzakov also expressed gratitude to South Korea for its donation of COVID-19 test kits worth $250,000 and for dispatching Choi Jae-wook, a preventive medicine professor at Korea University, to help Uzbekistan contain the coronavirus outbreak.