South Korea and Uzbekistan agreed to deepen their relationship through critical-mineral supply chains, artificial intelligence, digital technology, advanced manufacturing, renewable energy and defense cooperation. A summit between President Lee Jae-myung and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the 14th produced 13 agreements, memorandums of understanding and contracts, including a defense cooperation contract between Korea Aerospace Industries and Uzbekistan’s state-owned Uztek Trade. At a Seoul business forum on the 15th, five additional memorandums covered critical minerals, AI and digital technology, development cooperation and infrastructure, while Mirziyoyev proposed an Industrial Technology Alliance combining Uzbekistan’s resources with South Korean technology and investment.