President Lee Jae-myung met with Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda on the 14th and proposed, "Let's expand cooperation between Korea, which has the technology and capabilities to stabilize critical mineral supply chains in Central Asia including Uzbekistan, and the ADB, which has diverse project experience and financing tools."
At 11 a.m. on the day, Lee received Kanda in the presidential office at the Blue House and made the remarks.
Kanda made his first visit to Korea on the occasion of the Korea–Central Asia summit, which runs through the 16th. While working at Japan's Ministry of Finance, he contributed to restoring the Korea–Japan currency swap.
Lee and Kanda discussed ways to cooperate in the Asia-Pacific, including Central Asia, on critical minerals, AI (artificial intelligence), and the energy sector including nuclear power.
Lee assessed Central Asia as "a region with growth potential thanks to abundant resources and geographical advantages," and said, "Let's expand cooperation between Korea and the ADB."
Kanda said, "Even amid uncertain global economic conditions, the Korean economy is delivering outstanding results," adding, "I was impressed by President Lee's remarkable leadership in AI and the digital sector."
In particular, he emphasized, "The critical mineral supply chain is a priority support area for the ADB," and, "We hope to cooperate with Korea, which has industrial capabilities."
In addition, Lee and Kanda agreed to ensure that Korea's technology and experience can be utilized in ADB-led Asia-Pacific energy infrastructure expansion projects such as the "ASEAN Power Grid" and in financing policies related to nuclear power.