ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for Kazakhstan and South Korea to double bilateral trade and deepen cooperation in advanced manufacturing, critical minerals, energy, transport, artificial intelligence and other high-value sectors. Speaking at the opening of the Kazakhstan–South Korea business roundtable in Seoul on Sept.
15, Tokayev said bilateral trade exceeded $3 billion last year and could be doubled through joint efforts by the two governments and businesses. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the opening of the Kazakhstan–South Korea business roundtable in Seoul on Sept. 15.
Photo credit: Akorda. “This visit provides a good opportunity to consolidate the progress achieved and give new impetus to bilateral cooperation,” Tokayev said. He also emphasized that Kazakhstan and South Korea had built strong relations over the past three decades based on mutual respect, trust and friendship.
According to him, South Korea is now among Kazakhstan’s major trade and investment partners, with Korean companies playing an increasingly prominent role in the country’s economy. Korean companies have invested more than $12 billion in Kazakhstan, while more than 1,000 companies with Korean capital operate in the country, including Samsung, Kia, Hyundai, Lotte, Doosan Enerbility and Shinhan Bank.
Industrial partnership enters a new stage Tokayev identified industrial cooperation as one of the strongest foundations of Kazakhstan–South Korea economic relations. The countries’ joint industrial portfolio currently comprises 51 projects in automotive manufacturing, machinery, metallurgy and other sectors worth more than $4 billion.
Kazakhstan also produced nearly 170,000 vehicles in 2025, setting a national record, while local production of Korean consumer electronics is also expanding, including Samsung household appliances. “Our goal is to create a fully integrated industrial ecosystem encompassing localized components, advanced materials, electrical equipment and electronics, with a focus on serving the broader Eurasian market,” Tokayev said.
President Tokayev also said Kazakhstan was closely following South Korea’s new industrial strategy under President Lee Jae Myung, including the Three Mega Projects and Seven Major SEED initiatives. Urban development opens opportunities for Korean companies Construction and urban development were highlighted as another promising area of cooperation.