INTERNATIONAL LEGAL INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE “CENTRAL ASIA – REPUBLIC OF KOREA” FORMAT

Abstract

The article examines the international legal institutionalization of the “Central Asia–Republic of Korea” format from the establishment of the Forum in 2007 to the holding of the first summit in 2026. It distinguishes among Forum documents, which predominantly function as soft-law instruments, bilateral international treaties, and the organizational practice of the permanent Secretariat, which was established in 2017 and operates within the Korea Foundation system. The empirical basis of the study comprises the chronology of the Forums held between 2007 and 2025, investment treaties concluded between the Republic of Korea and the Central Asian states, trade statistics for 2024, and a comparative analysis of the Korean, Chinese, and Japanese models according to established criteria. The study substantiates the conclusion that the format has undergone functional institutionalization without acquiring independent international legal personality. It proposes a legal passport for the relevant documents, an annex to the medium-term action plan in the form of an implementation and monitoring matrix, an annual consolidated report, and a national coordination mechanism for Uzbekistan. The first “Central Asia–Republic of Korea” Summit, held on 16 September 2026, marked a new stage in the institutionalization of the format. The Seoul Declaration adopted following the summit requires further international legal assessment in terms of its content and its impact on the development of the cooperation mechanism.