Top diplomats of South Korea and five Central Asian nations gathered at a regional forum held in Tajikistan to explore ways on expanding cooperation for the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong attended the 14th Korea-Central Asia Forum held in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe on Tuesday, which was joined by representatives from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

In a key note speech, Chung said the Central Asian nations are the key partners of Seoul's New Northern Policy, which aims to promote peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and Eurasia.

Chung called for increased cooperation between South Korea and the countries to tackle challenges from climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the forum, diplomats and experts from the participating nations discussed how to step up cooperation in the forest, energy, digital technology and health care sectors, the ministry said.

After the event, Chung held separate talks with his counterparts from the five Central Asian nations on practical ways to boost investment and trade, and promote cultural exchanges among them, it noted. (Yonhap)