President Yoon Suk Yeol will pay state visits to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan next week. 

According to Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Kim Tae-hyo on Friday, Yoon will embark on the six-day visit on Monday, accompanied by First Lady Kim Keon-hee from June 10 to 15.

Kim emphasized that Central Asia, which was the center of the Silk Road, is a strategic point that connects Europe and Asia, adding that the strategic importance is growing further amid the  global polycrisis that includes the war in Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East.

The top office also announced that South Korea, along with the five Central Asian countries, agreed to set up a summit and hold the first meeting at the South Korean National Assembly next year.

The announcement comes as the government also decided to promote the 'Korea-Central Asia K-Silk Road' strategy to strengthen regional economic exchanges, including cooperation in supply chains with the Central Asian nations.