Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's Strategy: Why South Korea Interested In Kazakhstan

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 14. On September 14-16, Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, at the invitation of President Lee Jae Myung, will pay a state visit to the Republic of Korea.

On September 15, high-level talks will be held in Seoul, during which the sides will discuss prospects for strengthening the expanded strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and South Korea. In addition, Tokayev is scheduled to hold meetings with the heads of leading South Korean companies.

On September 16, the President of Kazakhstan will also participate in the first“Central Asia - Republic of Korea” summit, which is expected to bring together the leaders of South Korea and the countries of the region - Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The upcoming visit continues Tokayev's consistent work to expand cooperation with South Korea. In April 2026, Tokayev received Kang Hoon Sik, the special representative of the President of South Korea and chief of staff of the presidential administration. The sides discussed expanding cooperation in the trade and economic, investment, energy, and transport and logistics spheres. These areas may now receive further development during the high-level talks, Tokayev's meetings with the heads of South Korean companies, and the first“Central Asia - Republic of Korea” summit.

The economic component occupies a central place in relations between the two countries. For Seoul, Kazakhstan is of interest due to its natural resources, transit position, and the largest economy in Central Asia. For Astana, the Korean partnership provides access to technologies, investment, and industrial expertise needed to develop raw material processing and higher value-added production.

Existing industrial cooperation shows that this is a practical interaction. South Korean companies such as Kia, Doosan Enerbility, Samsung, and SK Ecoplant are involved in projects in Kazakhstan's automotive industry, energy sector, mechanical engineering, and other sectors. The expansion of such projects allows Kazakhstan to increase the volume of higher value-added production and strengthen its industrial base.

A separate area is critical minerals. South Korea is interested in diversifying raw material supply chains for high-tech industries, including battery and electronics production. Kazakhstan, which has a significant resource base, views this sector as one of the areas for attracting investment and developing processing.

It is at the intersection of these interests that the economic agenda of cooperation is taking shape: Kazakhstan offers a resource base, industrial and transit potential, while Korean companies offer technology, capital and production expertise. For Tokayev, the development of such cooperation creates opportunities to expand the circle of investment partners and promote projects with higher added value.

The transport component also strengthens Seoul's interest in Kazakhstan. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, connecting China, Central Asia, the Caspian Sea, the South Caucasus and Europe, gives Kazakhstan an additional advantage as a transit hub between Asian and European markets. For South Korea, the development of alternative logistics routes is important amid the restructuring of global supply chains.

The Korean direction of cooperation allows Tokayev to address several economic objectives of Kazakhstan simultaneously - attracting investment and technology, developing industrial processing, and using the country's transit potential. For South Korea, Kazakhstan, in turn, is becoming a platform for expanding its economic presence in Central Asia and developing new supply chains.

The first“Central Asia - Republic of Korea” summit adds a regional dimension to bilateral cooperation. Seoul gains a platform for direct interaction with all five Central Asian states, while Kazakhstan can use its accumulated experience of cooperation with Korean companies in promoting regional projects.

For Korean businesses, the possibility of locating production in Kazakhstan with access to the markets of Central Asia, China and Europe is of particular interest. At the same time, Kazakhstan's resource base, industrial infrastructure and location along routes between China and European markets are important.

The effectiveness of this rapprochement will depend on the extent to which political agreements are transformed into concrete investment, technological and industrial projects. Their implementation will show whether the current expansion of contacts can lead to deeper economic cooperation.

For Tokayev, the visit to Seoul is another step in expanding Kazakhstan's economic interaction with Asian partners. At the same time, its significance goes beyond bilateral relations: participation in the first“Central Asia - Republic of Korea” summit allows Kazakhstan to promote its own economic interests in a regional format.

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