On February 16, The Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS) at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED) held the Final Reporting Workshop of the research project titled “Contextualizing Central Asian Migration to East Asia: Comparative Analysis of Uzbek Migration to South Korea and Japan.”

Supported under the 2025 Korea Foundation research cycle, the project examined educational and labor migration flows from Uzbekistan to the Republic of Korea and Japan. The research included extensive fieldwork and interviews with Uzbek migrants, government stakeholders, and policy experts.

Led by Prof. Timur Dadabaev, the research team, with M. Abdurasulova, N. Djalilova, and J. Soipov, conducted extensive fieldwork in Uzbekistan, the Republic of Korea, and Japan, including interviews with government stakeholders and Uzbek migrants across multiple visa categories (D-2 students, E-7 skilled workers, E-9 EPS labor migrants, and irregular migrants). It also addresses gender dimensions of migration and policy implications for Korea–Central Asia cooperation.  

The workshop presented key findings and policy recommendations to strengthen migration governance, educational mobility, and labor integration frameworks between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea. The project contributes to advancing bilateral academic dialogue and evidence-based policymaking in the field of international migration.