Foreign Minister of South Korea Song Min-soon said Thursday that the most valuable field of expertise Korea can share with Central Asia is its development experience.

"Central Asia is currently undergoing transition and would need a partner in order to realize economic growth in a short time," Song said at the first Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum in Seoul. ``Korea is the right partner.’’

Song assured participants from Central Asia that Korea has invested its asset in the region and will continue the investment.

One of the possible projects the two sides can cooperate on are a combination of Central Asia’s strength in aerospace, petro-chemistry and energy and Korea’s information-technology and logistics, Song said.

The minister added that 320,000 ethnic Koreans, dubbed "goryeoin", in Central Asia act as a bridge between Korea and Central Asia.

Nurlan Yermekbayev, Kazak vice minister of foreign affairs, also said that Korea’s high level of competitiveness opens wide possibility of cooperation with Kazakhstan and Kazak companies would have much to learn from Korea’s experience.

"Korea-Kazakhstan joint venture will act as mediators under favorable conditions," Yermekbayev said. "Keep in mind that Kazakhstan can be both an investor in Korea and a place for Korean investors."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade held the first Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum in Seoul by inviting vice foreign ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

They are Yermekbayev of Kazakhstan, Ermak Ibraimov of Kyrgyzstan, Vepa Hadjiyev of Turkmenistan, Abdullo Yuldoshev of Tajikistan and Anvar Salikhbaev of Uzbekistan.

The forum discussed Central Asian countries’ sharing of Korea’s experience in the economic development and feasible cooperation between the two regions with 150 government officials, businessmen and scholars.

"The forum will help Korea-Central Asia cooperation expand from energy-oriented cooperation to a comprehensive one, including information, communication, construction, culture, education and tourism," the ministry said in a press release.

Vice Foreign Minister Cho Jung-pyo will have bilateral talks with his counterparts from the five Central Asian countries today.

The delegation will visit several businesses and their factories such as a power station on Saturday and will attend a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

All the delegates will leave Korea on Sunday.