□ During the ADB Annual Meeting held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Chairman & President of Korea Eximbank Dongsoo Kim met with the chairmen of NBU and Asaka Bank, the top two national banks in Uzbekistan, and signed credit agreements totaling USD 7.5 million.

○ Chairman Kim signed a credit agreement totaling USD 5 million with NBU Chairman Saidakhamd Rakhimov and a similar agreement totaling USD 2.5 million with Asaka Bank President Kahkaramon Tursunovich Aripov.

○ Both banks will provide financial supports to Korean companies investing in the Navoi Free Industrial Economic Zone.

※Navoi Free Industrial Economic Zone
This is the region near Navoi Airport in Uzbekistan designated by the Uzbekistan government to become a distribution hub and a high technology industrial complex. The Navoi project includes construction of the Navoi International Airport, International Distribution Complex, and High Technology Industrial Complex.

□ KEXIM will provide financing up to USD 7.5 million to Korean companies constructing new plants in the Navoi Free Industrial Economic Zone and to Uzbekistan companies transacting with Korean companies.

□ According to a KEXIM representative, "Uzbekistan has recorded high growth rates of up to 8% on average over the last 6 years and has became an important bridgehead to Central Asia. I hope the credit agreements will encourage more Korean companies to participate in the Navoi Free Industrial Economic Zone and further strengthen economic cooperation between the two nations."

※Uzbek Economic Growth Rates: 7.3% ('06) → 9.5% ('07) →9.0% ('08) →8.1% ('09)