Uzbekistan, Korea boost customs cooperation

Uzbekistan’s customs committee chairman Akmalkhuja Mavlonov(left) and chief of the Korea Customs Service Ko Kwang-hyo signs a protocol amending the Uzbekistan-South Korea agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs on Friday. (Uzbekistan’s Customs Committee)

Uzbekistan and Korea agreed to boost customs cooperation in Tashkent on Friday.

Uzbekistan’s customs committee chairman Akmalkhuja Mavlonov and chief of the Korea Customs Service Ko Kwang-hyo signed a protocol amending the Uzbekistan-South Korea agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs.

Uzbekistan's customs committee showcases ongoing reforms and development in customs administration capabilities in Tashkent on Friday. (Uzbekistan's customs committee

According to Uzbekistan's customs committee, the two sides agreed to solidify technical cooperation to crack down on trade crimes, develop customs administration capabilities, and operate training programs through mutual customs expertise.

The committee introduced customs control forms, clearance processes, automated information systems inspection complexes, favorable conditions for cargo carriers, the economic activity of foreign counterparts, and a risk management system.

Chief of the Korea Customs Service Ko Kwang-hyo visits Uzbekistan's customs commitee to boost customs cooperation. (Uzbekistan’s Customs Committee)

Korea is Uzbekistan's leading trade partner in the Asia-Pacific region and has emerged as one of its major strategic partners, the committee said.

“Service dogs prepared by the National Cynology Center were exported to Korea in August of this year," the Uzbek committee official told The Korea Herald.

Chief of the Korea Customs Service Ko Kwang-hyo oversee service dogs prepared by the National Cynology Center in Tashkent. (Uzbekistan’s Customs Committee)

Uzbekistan has reduced customs control and clearance timing using digitalization, said the official.

Uzbekistan's customs committee showcases ongoing reforms and development in customs administration capabilities in Tashkent on Friday. (Uzbekistan's customs committee)

The delegation led by Ko also visited a natural juice enterprise that produces fruit juices in Tashkent and annually exports 250 tons to Korea, the official said.