Korea-Central Asia Summit: South Korea and Turkmenistan joined Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in adopting the Seoul Declaration, setting biennial leader summits (next in Astana in 2028) and pushing deeper cooperation on critical minerals, energy, trade, logistics, AI and digital transformation. Turkmen-Korean Business Forum: President Serdar Berdimuhamedov told Korean firms Ashgabat is ready to host technology and investment for transport and logistics, and said 17 Korean-backed investment projects worth over $12bn are already registered in Turkmenistan. Transport Connectivity: A separate push for regional links gained momentum as Azerbaijan floated extending a China–Central Asia route via the Caspian Sea, including through Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. Border Security Tech: At a WCO canine forum in Tashkent, officials argued that trained detection dogs still complement AI-based scanning for customs work. Human Rights Watch: A UN report warned that people cooperating with the UN face intimidation and reprisals, citing cases across 32 states. Press Freedom in Turkmenistan: A freed RFE/RL journalist described torture and solitary confinement after being arrested for photographing a government resort.