Korea will provide US$12 million in aid to Uzbekistan this year in line with its effort to boost the two countries’ strategic partnership, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung-hwan signed four agreements on economic assistance for the Central Asian nation with the Uzbek Prime Minister Elyer Ganiev at the ministry in Seoul, Wednesday.

Uzbek President Islam Karimov arrived in Seoul Wednesday evening for a summit with President Lee Myung-bak, Thursday.

Under the agreements, Seoul will provide US$8.65 million worth of support and supplies to Uzbekistan on top of its current annual assistance budget of some US$3 million, Korea Times reported.