Seoul: Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev on Tuesday called on South Korean companies to participate in his country's infrastructure projects, expressing hope for expanded bilateral cooperation in various sectors, including supply chains, renewable energy, and IT, Seoul's major trade association said.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Khodjaev made the call during a business roundtable between South Korea and Uzbekistan held in Seoul as a follow-up measure to the leaders' summit in September. The event was attended by vice ministers from Uzbekistan's economy-related ministries and its Ambassador to Seoul Alisher Abdusalomov, as well as officials from 25 Korean firms operating in the Central Asian nation, including Samsung Electronics Co., Hyundai Motor Co., and POSCO International Corp., according to the Korea International Trade Association (KITA).

In his opening remarks, Khodjaev urged Korean companies to take part in major projects aimed at building high-speed railways and an airport, saying that Uzbekistan wishes to expand cooperation with Korea in supply chains, renewable energy, infrastructure, transportation, and IT, according to KITA. The Uzbek official added his country's gross domestic product has doubled over the past eight years on the back of government efforts to improve its business environment, also stressing that the number of joint ventures between Korea and Uzbekistan has increased to 683 over the period.

KITA Chairman Yoon Jin-sik said his organization will make efforts to bolster cooperation between the two countries, while helping resolve Korean firms' difficulties in doing business in Uzbekistan.