KOTRA Strengthens Export Market Strategy in CIS Region... Dual Support for Supply Chains and K-Consumer Goods

Kang Kyungsung Presides Over Trade and Investment Strategy Meeting

Expanding Exports Through Supply Chain Cooperation and Consumer Goods Boom

Strategic Value of CIS Region Rises Despite Prolonged Russia–Ukraine Crisis

Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) is nurturing the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region as a strategic market for supply chain stabilization and export market diversification.

On July 8 (local time) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Kang Kyungseong, President of KOTRA, presided over the 'CIS Regional Trade and Investment Expansion Strategy Meeting' and stated, "The CIS region is a strategic market where both supply chain stability and export market diversification can be achieved despite geopolitical uncertainties." He added, "In this era of economic security, we will further strengthen on-site support so that Korean companies can seize new opportunities."

The meeting was attended by heads of 11 KOTRA trade offices covering 13 Eurasian countries that connect Asia and Europe. The participants discussed strategies to expand exports and plans to support companies to respond to the rapidly changing global trade order.

The CIS region is a key supply chain hub with abundant energy and mineral resources, and a strategic area with a consumer market of 290 million people. It is also attracting attention as a logistics hub where the Middle Corridor, an inland transport route connecting Asia and Europe via Central Asia and the Caucasus, and future logistics axes such as the Arctic route, intersect.

The cargo volume of the Middle Corridor surged from 580,000 tons in 2021 to 5.2 million tons in 2025. Regarding the Arctic route, China conducted 23 trial operations in 2025, and Korea is planning to operate a container ship in August 2026. Japan is also pushing to operate an icebreaker research vessel in 2027.

Kang Kyungseong, President of KOTRA, is speaking at the "CIS Region Trade and Investment Expansion Strategy Meeting." KOTRA.

Despite the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war and the ongoing reorganization of global supply chains, the CIS region continues to show high growth, especially in Central Asia. In 2025, the GDP growth rates were 11.1% for Kyrgyzstan, 8.4% for Tajikistan, 7.7% for Uzbekistan, 7.5% for Azerbaijan, 7.2% for Armenia, and 6.5% for Kazakhstan.

Thanks to the spread of Korean culture and the growth of e-commerce, the K-consumer goods market is also expanding rapidly. As a result, exports to the CIS in 2025 reached USD 14.3 billion, up 19% from the previous year, recovering to levels seen before the Russia-Ukraine war.

In the CIS region, supply chain restructuring and policies to foster domestic industries are also in full swing. Russia is expanding economic cooperation centered on BRICS, while Central Asia is focusing on cooperation with major countries including Korea, based on the C5 consultative body made up of five Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

KOTRA plans to discover new opportunities for entry, centering on supply chain cooperation and expansion of consumer goods exports in response to these changes. The strategic meeting was held under the key themes of "In the Era of Economic Security, Turning Supply Chain Crisis into Opportunity" and "Leaping into the Top 5 Exporters, Adding 20% to K-Consumer Goods Exports."

Kang Kyungsung, President of KOTRA, presiding over the 'CIS Region Trade and Investment Expansion Strategy Meeting.' KOTRA.

First, KOTRA is focusing on the rising strategic value of key minerals such as energy and rare earth elements due to the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war and the reorganization of global supply chains. This is based on the assessment that Central Asia is emerging as a strategic supply chain cooperation partner for major countries such as China and the United States. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), global rare earth reserves are highest in China, followed by Brazil, India, and Russia.

KOTRA plans to strengthen technology and resource-matching supply chain partnerships in conjunction with the Korea-Central Asia C5+1 Summit to be held in Korea in September. C5+1 is a diplomatic and economic cooperation body in which the five Central Asian countries participate with a specific external country or international organization.

Also, in September, KOTRA will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with QazTrade, the trade policy development center under the Ministry of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan, to promote trade between the two countries. It also decided to provide ongoing support for cooperation between business people of the two countries through the establishment of the Korea-Uzbekistan Business Association.

KOTRA will also expand its entry into the Caucasus market and logistics cooperation, with Azerbaijan as a hub. The agency will continue to monitor changes in the sanctions environment and the new trade order resulting from the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, and support Korean companies in stabilizing their supply chains and identifying alternative markets.

KOTRA will expand opportunities for project and infrastructure cooperation as well. As major CIS countries expand their industrial development policies and investments, participation in projects and building local partnerships are emerging as effective market entry strategies beyond simply exporting products. KOTRA plans to proactively identify promising projects for each country and expand package support that links supply chains, projects, and consumer goods.

President Kang said, "In the era of economic security, securing both supply chains and markets is corporate competitiveness. KOTRA will develop marketing strategies that incorporate local culture and history tailored to the CIS region, enhance achievements in supply chain cooperation, K-consumer goods exports, and strategic project orders, and ensure that the CIS region becomes a new growth base for Korean companies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.