Anchor: President Moon Jae-in has embarked on a trip to Central Asia for his first visit to the region since taking office. He will visit Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan over eight days. 
Hong Suh-ryung has this report. 

Report: President Moon Jae-in boarded a flight at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday bound for Turkmenistan, the first leg of his three nation tour. He will also visit Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan during the eight-day state visit. 

The three nations are important partners in South Korea's New Northern Policy, a key pillar in Moon’s initiative to boost diplomatic ties along with his New Southern Policy. The president’s visits to the countries will focus on economic cooperation and other issues.  

After arriving in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Moon will hold summit talks with President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow on Wednesday and discuss practical efforts for cooperation and mutual prosperity. 

On Thursday, Moon will visit the Kiyanly Gas Chemical Complex in the country’s eastern province, a three-point-four billion dollar plant constructed last year by a global consortium led by South Korean companies. 

Moon will head to Uzbekistan later in the day for a four-day visit where he will discuss upgrading the two countries' strategic partnership with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Friday. He will also attend a business forum involving business leaders from the two countries. 

Moon's three-day visit to Kazakhstan, the last leg of his tour, will begin on Sunday with a meeting with South Koreans and their descendants living in the country. 

On Monday, Moon will hold summit talks with newly inaugurated President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and discuss ways to promote trust and mutually beneficial cooperation with Kazakhstan's new government. 

Moon will return to South Korea on Tuesday.
Hong Suh-ryung, KBS World Radio News.