South Korea hosts first Korea-Central Asia summit, invokes Silk Road spirit

South Korean President Lee convened the inaugural Korea-Central Asia summit in Seoul with leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The meeting signals Seoul's push to deepen economic and diplomatic ties with Central Asia, potentially as a counterweight to Chinese and Russian influence. The 'Silk Road spirit' framing suggests a focus on connectivity and trade, though concrete outcomes remain unspecified.