By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

President Lee Jae-myung began his multilateral diplomacy by holding a summit with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during his visit to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23, 2025.

President Mirziyoyev, seemingly conscious of his somewhat late arrival, remarked, "It was unintentional. The UN has a very complex protocol," adding, "These UN keynote speeches are quite long." The audience erupted in laughter. President Lee responded, "They say New York is complicated," to which Mirziyoyev replied, "Thank you."

President Lee remarked, "I spoke with you on your birthday, and it's nice to meet you in person." President Mirziyoyev responded, "Thank you for calling me."

In a telephone conversation with President Mirziyoyev on July 24 (Korean time), President Lee proposed close cooperation to elevate the "special strategic partnership" between the two countries to the next level.

President Lee and President Mirziyoyev highly praised the close and substantive cooperation between the two countries in various fields, including transportation and infrastructure. They agreed to work together to further expand mutually beneficial cooperation.

President Lee also requested President Mirziyoyev's attention and support for addressing the challenges faced by Korean companies operating in Uzbekistan.