Seoul, Republic of Korea
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered a welcoming address at the opening of the Kazakh-Korean Round Table, bringing together representatives of the business communities of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that over the past three decades, Astana and Seoul have built strong relations based on mutual respect, trust and genuine friendship. According to him, strong political dialogue and a common vision for further deepening multifaceted cooperation provide a solid foundation for this partnership.
“Today, Korea is among Kazakhstan’s largest trade and investment partners. We appreciate the productive presence of Korea’s major companies and will be continuously enhancing this positive trend. I always keep saying that Korean businessmen who are the most steadfast and bold decision-makers in investment area, are very decent and respectful to Kazakhstan,” the President said.
As Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted, bilateral trade exceeded 3 billion US dollars last year. In his view, it may be doubled by having both governments and companies to come together.
“The total volume of foreign direct investment from Korea to Kazakhstan has exceeded 12 billion dollars. More than 1,000 companies with Korean capital operate in our country, including Samsung, Kia, Hyundai, Lotte, Doosan Enerbility and Shinhan Bank. We are determined to take our relations to a new level and further strengthen the bonds of friendship and partnership between our countries. This visit marks an important opportunity to build on this momentum and give fresh impetus to our cooperation,” the Head of State said.
The President noted that Kazakhstan take keen interest in President Lee Jae Myung’s new industrial strategy, including the Three Mega Projects and the Seven Major SEED initiative.
President Tokayev then elaborated on Kazakhstan’s economic modernization programme and outlined priority areas for deepening Kazakh-Korean relations.
“Industrial cooperation has become one of the strongest pillars of our economic partnership. Today, our joint portfolio includes 51 projects worth over 4 billion dollars, covering car manufacturing, engineering, metallurgy and other sectors. Korean companies have already demonstrated that Kazakhstan is a competitive and reliable manufacturing base. In 2025, our country produced around 170,000 vehicles – a national record. Korean consumer electronics are also increasingly manufactured in Kazakhstan. Samsung household appliances are now produced locally, further expanding the industrial footprint of Korean companies. Our goal is to build a fully integrated industrial ecosystem encompassing localized components, advanced materials, electrical equipment and electronics, with a focus of serving the broader Eurasian market. I invite Korean companies to further seize these opportunities and expand their manufacturing presence in Kazakhstan,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
Construction and urban development were identified as another promising area of bilateral cooperation.
“Your country has world-class expertise in construction, engineering and infrastructure development. Korean companies are known for delivering complex projects with speed, quality and advanced technology. Kazakhstan is now entering a major phase of infrastructure development. We intend to significantly accelerate construction across country, from transport and utilities to housing and social infrastructure. I consider it as one of the key priorities of my presidency. We plan to make the territory of Kazakhstan a big construction site focusing on social projects like hospitals, rehabilitation centers for children, multifunctional medical centers, modern schools, sport facilities and transport infrastructure. This opens up significant opportunities for Korean corporations. We look forward to their active participation in large-scale projects across Kazakhstan. Our Government will develop a specific list of such infrastructure projects aimed at creating new mutually beneficial ventures and advancing investment initiatives,” the President emphasized.
The Head of State drew attention to the fact that critical minerals have become one of the most strategically important and fastest-growing sectors of the global economy.
“Kazakhstan’s significant reserves of these strategic resources also offer substantial opportunities for the Kazakh-Korean cooperation in advanced industries and other high-value sectors. We would welcome Korean investment and technological expertise in the development of Kazakhstan’s mineral potential. In this regard, we propose a Resources-Technology-Industry model to develop complete value chains together.
The establishment of a Center for Technological Cooperation in the field of critical minerals in Almaty is a natural next step of the new model of cooperation. We believe that the joint work of scientists will allow us to move from the study of the resource base to specific industrial projects.,” the Head of State said.
According to the President, energy plays an equally important role in cooperation between the two countries. He highly valued the continued interest of Korean companies in Kazakhstan’s energy sector.
“Hyundai Engineering is already a crucial part of the construction of Karachaganak Gas Processing Plant. We see this project as the beginning of a long-term and strategic presence of Korean companies on our market. There is a significant potential to broaden this partnership into gas processing, petrochemicals, energy infrastructure and renewable energy. As the world’s largest uranium producer, Kazakhstan has strong potential in peaceful nuclear energy. Particular emphasis should be placed on small modular reactors, which are gaining importance in the global energy sector. Kazakhstan stands ready to establish mutually beneficial cooperation with Korea in this area.,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated.
The President further emphasized that transport and logistics occupy a central place in the common agenda. Kazakhstan, as a natural bridge between Asia and Europe, intends to transform this geographical advantage into a modern and efficient transport and logistics framework.
“We are investing heavily in railways, roads, seaports, terminals and broader infrastructure to increase its capacity, speed and reliability. We believe the time has come to expand Korean participation in the Middle Corridor. Kazakhstan welcomes Korean logistic companies, including CJ Logistics and LX Pantos, which are already developing modern logistic centers, multimodal terminals, warehousing and digital supply-chain solutions in our country. To support this work, I propose to establish a Kazakh-Korean joint venture to promote new logistical projects and initiatives, as well as to ensure seamless transit of Korean goods through our territory. It is encouraging that Kazakhstan’s Shin-Line and Lotte Global Logistics are already advancing plans to launch a partnership in the sector,” the President noted.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also pointed to significant opportunities for expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence and new technologies.
“A key part of our AI strategy is human capital. We believe that technological leadership ultimately depends on people and their ability to drive innovation. In this spirit we commend our partnership with Seoul National University of Science and Technology on jointly establishing Kazakhstan’s first Institute of Artificial Intelligence. Kazakhstan is developing one of the largest data center ecosystems in Eurasia, including a Data Processing Valley in energy rich Pavlodar region. The project provides up to one gigawatt of power capacity with scalable expansion, dedicated land and integration with national supercomputing capabilities. Our objective is to introduce Kazakhstan in the world as a primary computing hub of Central Asia and a bridge between Europe and Asia. For Korean technology companies this plan provides a unique opportunity. As part of our ambition to capture value across the entire AI value chain, Kazakhstan is ready to expand its role as a reliable supplier of materials and components for microelectronics and semiconductor production. Kazakhstan is ready to expand supplies of materials and components for microelectronics and semiconductor manufacturing. In this regard, we see significant potential for practical partnerships with global industry leaders such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix,” the Head of State said.
The President briefed representatives of the Korean business community on the strategy for developing Alatau City as a next-generation urban and economic hub for advanced industries and innovation.
“Built around digital technologies, AI and modern engineering, the city is being developed with strong Korean participation. Together with KIND, we are advancing its master plan, residential districts and the attraction of Korean companies,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.
The Head of State considers the financial sector another promising area for advancing the partnership between the two countries. He also highlighted significant opportunities for expanding cooperation in agriculture and food production.
“Our products are supplied to over 70 countries. We stand ready to increase shipments of grain, oilseeds, meat, dairy products, honey and other high-quality goods to Korea. As a longer-term goal, we propose developing Kazakh-Korean agro-industrial value chains, combining our agricultural potential with Korean technologies. Above that, we have a strong tradition of cooperation in food production. Lotte’s investment in Rakhat company, one of Kazakhstan’s famous chocolate brands, stands as a vivid example of a long-term presence of Korean business in our market. We highly value this cooperation and look forward to seeing many more success stories,” the President emphasized.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stressed the importance of developing human capital. According to him, universities in Kazakhstan and Korea already maintain extensive academic ties under more than 230 agreements.
The Head of State also noted that significant investment opportunities are opening up in the healthcare sector. Priority areas include medical infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical equipment.
In conclusion, the President particularly noted that several decades ago Korea made an extraordinary leap forward, becoming a global leader in key areas of the economy.
“Kazakhstan is now entering its own stage of deep economic modernization – with new industries, technologies, research capacity and human capital. I am confident that today’s gathering and the agreements being signed will give strong momentum to a more ambitious partnership. I once again encourage Korean businesses to invest more actively in Kazakhstan. The Government of Kazakhstan will provide comprehensive support to every mutually beneficial initiative that Korean businesses bring to our country,” Kassym-Jomart Tokayev concluded.
The Round Table was also addressed by Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Han Seong-sook, Korean Co-Chair of the Kazakh-Korean Business Council Yoon Jin-sik, Kazakh Co-Chair of the Kazakh-Korean Business Council Nurlan Zhakupov, Executive Vice President of Samsung Electronics Sung-jae Cho, Chairman of Shinhan Financial Group Jin Ok-dong, Founder and CEO of CONTEC Co., Ltd. Sung-hee Lee, and President of the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) Kwon Yi-kyun.
