Kazakhstan and South Korea: Discussion of Investment Opportunities and Joint Projects
May 8, 2026, Seoul – A Kazakh delegation led by Gabidulla Ospankulov, Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, paid a working visit to Seoul to discuss prospects for expanding trade and investment cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea.
During the visit, a number of meetings were held with the management of leading South Korean companies, major business associations, and financial institutions. The delegation also visited the Seoyong E-Hwa production site and the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) to study practices in industrial development, production localization, and investment attraction. Furthermore, the Kazakh delegation participated in a roundtable discussion on "Kazakhstan's Investment Opportunities for Korean Business," during which participants were presented with Kazakhstan's investment potential and current government support measures for investors.
The delegation included representatives of the Aktobe Region Akimat, Baiterek NH JSC, Samruk-Kazyna JSC, Kazakh Invest NC JSC, KEGOC JSC, QazaqGaz NC, Almaty Invest, and the Korkyt Ata SEZ Management Company.
The visit's program focused on interaction with the Republic of Korea's largest business associations.
During talks with Lee Sang-joon, Executive Managing Director of the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), the parties discussed expanding trade, economic, and investment cooperation between the two countries. KITA is the largest business association in the Republic of Korea, with over 70,000 member companies representing a wide range of economic sectors. The parties discussed opportunities to promote Kazakhstan's investment potential among the Korean business community, as well as prospects for attracting Korean companies to projects in energy, transportation, logistics, industry, and digital technologies. A meeting was also held with Yoon Young-mi, Chairman of the Korean Importers Association (KOIMA). The association represents over 8,000 Korean importers and plays a key role in developing Korea's foreign trade cooperation. During the meeting, discussions focused on expanding the supply of Kazakh products to the Korean market, organizing a visit for Korean importers to Almaty, and developing direct contacts between the business communities of the two countries. The Kazakh side presented the export potential of domestic products, including meat, dairy, grain, and honey.
During the visit, substantive talks were also held with representatives of South Korean businesses.
At a meeting with Park Chung-jin, Managing Director of KDM International, the prospects for localizing automotive component production, developing industrial clusters, and implementing joint production projects in Kazakhstan were discussed.
Potential cooperation in renewable energy, including wind power, infrastructure, and industrial development projects, was discussed with the management of the LX International conglomerate. During talks with Doosan Energy's Global Marketing Managing Director, Seo Yoon-pil, prospects for cooperation in the energy sector were discussed, including the company's participation in new industrial and infrastructure projects in Kazakhstan.
Particular attention was paid to the automotive industry. The Kazakh delegation visited the production site of Seoyong E-Hwa, one of South Korea's largest automotive component manufacturers. The parties reviewed the progress of a project to localize automotive component production in the Kostanay region jointly with Kia Qazaqstan and discussed prospects for further expansion of cooperation in the automotive industry.
Furthermore, the delegation learned about the activities of the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ), one of the most successful special economic zones in the Republic of Korea. During the visit, investment attraction mechanisms, infrastructure solutions, and approaches to developing industrial and innovative clusters were presented. Particular attention was paid to the opportunities for exchanging experience between the IFEZ and Kazakhstan's special economic zones. During the meetings, Gabidulla Ospankulov noted that Kazakhstan is the largest economy in Central Asia and an important transit and investment hub between Europe and Asia, providing foreign investors with favorable business conditions and a wide range of government support measures.
Following the visit, the parties confirmed their interest in further strengthening investment cooperation and implementing joint projects in priority economic sectors.
