Bishkek, Sept. 17, 2026 /Kabar/. South Korean companies are playing an increasingly important role in Uzbekistan’s economy, with more than 700 enterprises operating with South Korean capital and bilateral trade approaching $2 billion in 2025, Trend reported.
Trade between Uzbekistan and South Korea has increased fivefold in recent years, reaching nearly $2 billion in 2025. In the first half of 2026, bilateral trade exceeded $940 million, up nearly 12% from the same period a year earlier.
South Korea has also become a major source of foreign investment for Uzbekistan. The total volume of South Korean direct investment in the Uzbek economy has exceeded $8 billion, while 60 investment projects worth a combined $8.8 billion are currently being implemented.
More than 700 companies with South Korean capital are currently operating in Uzbekistan. During the first half of 2026 alone, Uzbekistan attracted more than $290 million in South Korean investment, underscoring the continued expansion of bilateral economic ties.
According to Trend’s calculations, the $8 billion-plus stock of South Korean direct investment is roughly 4.3 times the two countries’ $1.87 billion trade turnover in 2025, based on the reported figure of nearly $2 billion. The 60 ongoing projects also have an average announced value of approximately $147 million each, based on their combined $8.8 billion value.
The partnership is also expanding beyond Uzbekistan’s main economic centers. In the Fergana region, 48 enterprises with South Korean capital are currently operating. Seven Uzbek-Korean joint enterprises in the region invested $70 million during the first half of 2026.
South Korea’s role in Uzbekistan is increasingly based on both trade and long-term investment. The scale of ongoing projects compared with current bilateral trade indicates that the relationship is moving toward deeper industrial and investment cooperation rather than remaining focused primarily on goods exchange.
