TASHKENT. June 5: South Korean President Kim Young-Sam on Saturday began his first visit to former Soviet Central Asia, optimistic about Improving economic Ues with Uzbekistan, reports Reuter

About 100 Koreans from a large ethnic community exiled to the region by Soviet dictator J Stalin lined up at Tashkent airport to see the Korean leaner and wave Uzbek and Korean flags

Kim and Uzbek President Islam Karimov later held pre ilminary talks which focused on a need to improve economic ties. Kim s spokesman told reporters

The two leaders agreed to Improve economic relations by combining Uzbekistan • abun dent natural resources with (South) Korea’s experience In Industrialisation." said Chu Don-Shik.

Tn this context, we expect (South) Korean firms' Investment (in Uzbekistan) to be stimulated further."

Uzbekistan, with 22 million people. Is the most populous of four central Asian nations which gained Independence In 1991 It ranks fourth In the world for cotton production and eighth for gold

Its trade relations with South Korea are hampered by a lac k of reliable transport links, but Daewoo Motors Is building the first vehicle plant In Central Asia in an investment expected to total 635 million dollars South Korean officials •aid