The year 2024 marked a significant milestone in the partnership between Kazakhstan and Korea, highlighting decades of mutual trust, cooperation, and shared goals. The strategic relationship between the two nations continues to strengthen, fueled by high-level diplomatic exchanges, economic collaboration, and cultural interactions.
In June 2024, the state visit of President Yoon Suk Yeol to Kazakhstan laid the foundation for enhanced cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade, investment and technology. This visit underscored Korea's commitment to deepening its engagement in Central Asia, with Kazakhstan serving as a key regional partner, The Caspian Post reports citing The Korea Times.
Further strengthening this partnership, Speaker of the National Assembly Woo Won-shik, chose Kazakhstan for his first official overseas visit in October. His meetings with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other high-ranking officials emphasized the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in fostering mutual understanding and cooperation.
Kazakh Ambassador to Korea Nurgali A. Arystanov / Courtesy of Embassy of Kazakhstan in Seoul
The visit of Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu to Korea in November solidified this momentum. Key outcomes included the signing of a Cooperation Action Plan for 2025-2027, aimed at expanding joint initiatives in priority areas such as energy, infrastructure and education.
In 2024, a series of high-level visits strengthened Kazakhstan-Korea relations across multiple sectors, including within international organizations.
Ambassador Kairat Sarybay, secretary general of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), visited Seoul in August for consultations on regional security and cooperation.
In April, Nurlan Abdirov, chairman of Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission, participated in the Seoul International Forum on Elections, emphasizing collaboration in electoral processes.
Additionally, Alikhan Baimenov, chairman of the Steering Committee of the Astana Civil Service Hub (ACSH), signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Korea's minister of personnel management to establish the Korean Center of ACSH.
Finally, Marat Omarov, chairman of Kazakhstan's Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition, took part in the ASEAN-CIS Law Enforcement Summit in Seoul, addressing key trends in competition policy and digital economy regulation.
Economic collaboration and trade
Economic ties between Kazakhstan and Korea have continued to grow robustly. Korean investments in Kazakhstan surpassed $10 billion in 2024, with major companies such as Samsung, Hyundai, SK and Lotte playing pivotal roles in sectors like energy, technology and retail.
Moreover, the visits of the Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev and the Minister of Energy Almasadam Satkaliyev to Korea have also given a significant boost to the development of bilateral relations across all areas of cooperation, including economic engagements.
Financial cooperation received a significant boost as a result of the visit by Timur Suleimenov, governor of the National Bank, and Madina Abylkassymova, chairperson of the Agency for Regulation and Development of Financial Market.
In October, Chairman of KOIMA Kim Byung-kwan visited Kazakhstan to discuss trade opportunities in agriculture, health care products and rare earth metals.
A notable development was the rapid growth of Korean retail chains in Kazakhstan. The opening of the first CU convenience store in Almaty, followed by an expansion to 10 stores, reflects the increasing presence of Korean businesses into Kazakhstan's economic landscape.
The two countries also strengthened their trade relations through agreements on joint ventures in green energy, infrastructure modernization and digital transformation. These initiatives align with Kazakhstan's broader economic development goals and Korea's expertise in cutting-edge technologies.
