From left: Uzbek Pharmaceutical Industry Development Agency chief Azizov Abdulla, KIND President Kim Bok-hwan, and Uzbekistan's Deputy Trade Minister Ilzat Kasimov pose after signing an agreement during the Uzbekistan-Korea Business Forum in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Tuesday. (Lim Se-jun/The Korea Herald) TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — Plans to launch a Korea Chamber of Commerce branch in Uzbekistan were unveiled Tuesday at the Uzbekistan-Korea Business Forum in Tashkent.The body, set to open during the Korea-Central Asia Summit in September, will be the first Korean Chamber of Commerce in Uzbekistan."Economic cooperation between Korea and Uzbekistan has expanded rapidly across many sectors," said Yoo Bo-young, an executive member for KoCham Uzbekistan and executive director of Dasan D&C.The association was established in cooperation with the Korea Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), the Korean Embassy in Uzbekistan, South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and stakeholders in the private sector. Yoo Bo-young, head of management support at Dasan DMC, delivers a presentation at the Uzbekistan-Korea Business Forum in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Tuesday. (Im Se-jun/The Korea Herald) "The association seeks to fill the gap by serving as a platform where Korean and Uzbek businesses can cooperate, grow and create new opportunities together," Yoo said.The chamber currently includes about 60 companies and organizations from both countries and is expected to be formally launched during the Korea-Central Asia Summit.Koo Gi-do, vice chair of the association and chair of AHA Information & Communication, said the chamber was the first of its kind to receive support from the Korean government, KOTRA and the embassy. Koo Gi-do, vice chair of the association and chair of AHA Information & Communication delivers a presentation at the Uzbekistan-Korea Business Forum in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Tuesday. (Im Se-jun/The Korea Herald) As an example of growing Korean investment in Uzbekistan, Koo highlighted his company's new manufacturing facility in Fergana in the country's east scheduled for completion later this year."Products manufactured there will be exported to more than 70 countries worldwide," he said.The plant will produce electronic products including digital displays, EV chargers and energy storage systems.Korean companies already operating in Uzbekistan also welcomed the initiative.Park Se-joo, country director of East Telecom, said the Korean-Uzbek telecommunications company had been operating in Uzbekistan for nearly two decades and was expanding its role in the country's digital transformation. East Telecom is a subsidiary of Korean telecom giant KT Corp. that has been operating in Uzbekistan since 2007.South Korea is one of Uzbekistan's key Asian economic partners, with Korean companies active in sectors from manufacturing and energy to telecommunications and finance. Park Se-joo, country director of East Telecom delivers a presentation at the Uzbekistan-Korea Business Forum in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Tuesday. (Im Se-jun/The Korea Herald) "We understand the challenges foreign companies face when entering the market and can help address many of those issues," Park said.He said East Telecom operated one of Uzbekistan's few commercial-grade independent data centers and is developing artificial intelligence infrastructure for businesses, universities and government-backed institutions."Our goal is to strengthen Uzbekistan's digital ecosystem while serving as a bridge between Korea and Uzbekistan," Park said.Sharing the vision of chamber at the event, Business leaders said the new chamber would help facilitate investment, boost business networks and provide a permanent platform for Korean companies operating in Uzbekistan.