□ The Export-Import Bank of Korea (www. koreaexim.go.kr, Chairman Lee Duk-Hoon, "Korea Eximbank") announced on April 28 that the Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry for Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade ("MFERIT").

□ Korea Eximbank Chariman Lee Duk-Hoon met with MFERIT Minister Elyor Ganiev at Lotte Hotel in Seoul and signed the MOU for cooperation between the two institutions for 'Prospective Projects for Korea-Uzbekistan Economic Cooperation.'

- The government of the Republic of Uzbekistan has selected ten projects in the energy, IT, automobile, and airport infrastructure sectors, where Korean firms' participation is highly likely, and has been focusing on raising funds for these projects.

□ Chairman Lee remarked at the signing ceremony that "I hope the signing of the MOU will provide new business opportunities for Korean firms to actively participate in many projects in the energy, infrastructure and IT sectors in Uzbekistan."

□ A country recognized as an important bridgehead in Central Asia and the tenth largest natural gas producer in the world, Uzbekistan has been making headway in developing its energy, construction, plant and infrastructure sectors where Korean firms are actively expanding their businesses and investment.

- The government of the Republic of Uzbekistan has been executing policies aimed for attracting investment from foreign companies, such as privatization of state enterprises, sales of the government's equities in state enterprises, holding international investment forums, etc.

□ Korea Eximbank had earlier provided USD one billion to the 'Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex at Surgil field, Uzbekistan' in Project Financing in 2012, where Lotte Chemical, KOGAS and GS E&R participated as sponsors and Samsung Engineering and Hyundai Engineering, as EPC exporters.

□ On the same day, Korea Eximbank invited the First Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Azimov and other government officials of Uzbekistan together with representatives of Korean firms to Lotte Hotel in Seoul for a luncheon meeting and discussed the method of mutual cooperation between Korea and Uzbekistan.